No. 15 Lord Jeffs score once in each half; 4-0-3 vs. Warriors in last seven
Below: Christine Lemieux
MANSFIELD, Conn. - Junior forward Kyla Woodhouse and senior midfielder Meg Murphy set up teammate freshman Emily Little for goals in each half with perfect through-balls as the No. 15 nationally-ranked Amherst College women's soccer team handed unranked women's soccer its first loss of the season, 2-0, Thursday night at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex.
Playing its first road match after four straight at home, Amherst (8-2-0) won its third straight match by ending Eastern's (6-4-3) home unbeaten streak. The Warriors had won three and tied two on their home turf prior to the match. Amherst, ranked second in New England, reached the quarterfinal round of last year's NCAA Division III tournament.
Since upending host Amherst 1-0 in overtime in 2002, the Warriors are 0-4-3 against the Lord Jeffs in the last seven meetings.
Woodhouse sprung Little with a pretty pass midway through the first half that set her up for a 1-on-1 opportunity with Eastern senior keeper Kim Church (Farmington) With Church charging out, Little sent a low shot from the right side inside the left post for the first goal of the match. Amherst added an insurance goal with eight minutes left when Murphy directed a pass near mid field through open space to Little, cutting diagonally to her right. Little carried through the first side of the box and slid a ground ball inside the far left post, beyond the dive of Church, for her third goal of the season.
Amherst sophomore keeper Allie Horwitz did not make a save in posting her fourth shutout this year in eight starts. Eastern had two of its best chances in a six-minute span early in the second half. On the first, senior back Christine Lemieux (South Windsor) hit the cross bar from 20 yards. The rebound bounced directly in front of the cage but Eastern could not get a foot on the ball and it was eventually cleared. The second came on a shot by senior midfielder Sarah Swann (Oxford) with Horwitz off her line, but senior defender Kathy Nolan steered the ball from in front of the net.
Swann, the team leader with nine goals, managed only two shot as she was marked closely by Amherst sophomore defender Jess Wall.Swann's second chance of the game came on a pass from freshman midfielder Daniela Marchitto (Orange) with 19 minutes left. Swann received the pass in close on the left side of the net, but her shot never made it to the goal as junior midfielder Maureen Griffin stopped it in front of Horwitz.
Eastern junior back Lauren Hickey (Southwick, MA) came up big on several occasions in front of Church to clear the ball away after the Lord Jeffs served balls to unmarked teammates in the box.
Eastern visits Rhode Island College Saturday at 1 p.m..
Amherst College 2, Eastern Conn. 0
Amherset (8-2-0) 1 1 -- 2
Eastern Conn. (6-4-3) 0 0 -- 0
Scoring: Emily Little (Kyla Woodhouse) 26:07; Little (Meg Murphy) 82:12.
Shots: A-14, E-5; Saves: A-Allie Horwitz 0, E-Kim Church 4. Corner kicks: A-2, E-2.
