Amherst, Mass. - The visiting Trinity College Bantams dropped a 3-1 decision against the Amherst College Lord Jeffs in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) women's soccer action this afternoon on Hitchcock Field.  Trinity drops to 3-4 overall and 2-4 in the NESCAC with its first loss in three games, while the Lord Jeffs, ranked No. 1 in New England and No. 6 in the nation, improves to 5-0-1 overall and 3-0-1 in the league despite giving up its first goal of the season.

Looking to stake the visitors to an early lead, Trinity first-year Alexa Menard (Wallingford, Conn.) found room just outside the 18-yard box in the 15th minute before ripping a hard, rising shot that prompted a Holly Burwick save. Engineering another scoring opportunity moments later off a failed clear following a Bantam corner, rookie Kelsey Thomas (Stonington, Conn.) lined up a shot from the left side that veered just wide of the right post.  Switching fields, Amherst pushed forward in 20th minute with Mel Stier eluding a pair of defenders just over the center line. Dropping a well-placed through ball to the right side of the box, Stier found a charging Chloe McKenzie, but the junior sent a low shot just wide of the left post.  With just over 17 minutes remaining in the opening period, Amanda Brisco came in alone on goal, but Trinity first-year goalkeeper Monika DiFiori (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) made a diving stop before forcing Brisco to fire the rebound wide. Kathryn Nathan tested DiFiori with another promising try in the 37th minute, but the Bantam netminder made another sprawling save to her right to keep the Jeffs off the board.

Staying aggressive, Amherst finally broke through just over two minutes later when Jessy Hale  picked out Kim with a cross from the right side. Winning the ball in the air inside the six-yard box, Kim headed the go-ahead goal into the top right corner at 38:14 to give the Jeffs a 1-0 advantage.  Narrowly missing an opportunity to extend its lead when Hannah Cooper rattled a shot off the post on a Kim rebound in the latter stages of the first half, Amherst doubled its advantage with a marker less than 10 minutes into the second. Playing a cross from the left, Nathan found Alex Hart '15 near the back-post, who headed in her first collegiate goal at 51:05.

Hoping to keep pace, Trinity got one back in the 55th minute when first-year Abbey Lake (Westport, Conn.) found Menard in the middle of the box, allowing the forward to slot a shot into the top right corner. Menard's goal was the first given up by the Jeffs in 2012, ending Burwick's 503:08 consecutive scoreless minutes in net.  Hoping to seal the win, Amherst tacked on an insurance goal with just under 12 to play. Heading a ball over the defense, Brisco sent in Sarah Duffy, who outran a defender to the lead pass before taking a quick touch and placing a shot into the left corner.  Burwick made two saves to improve to 5-0-1 on the season, while DiFiori put forth a solid showing with 11 stops.  Amherst held a 33-4 advantage in shots.

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