The field hockey team pulled out of its two-game rut over the weekend by posting wins over both Gordon College and Trinity College last week. The victories pushed the Jumbos to 7-5 overall heading into their final two games of the season.
"It's not so much what we've been doing differently the past few games," sophomore Ursula Stahl said. "We've had the chances all along, but now the luck is finally going our way and our offense is beginning to capitalize."
Tufts edged out New England competitor Gordon College on Thursday afternoon at Huskins Field. In the 2-1 decision, the Jumbos saw goals from junior Lindsay Lionetti, who has five in this year's campaign, and senior co-captain Colette Gaudet, who boasts six.
"This was a huge game," Rappoli said. "We beat Colby last week, which helped our chances, and we've played some good teams to one goal."
The squad's second victory of the week came to the disappointment of NESCAC foe Trinity on Saturday afternoon. While the Bantams fell to last place in the league, the 2-0 Tufts win boosted the 3-4 Jumbos' into a fifth-place tie.
"They are actually a very good team, despite their record," key scorer Lionetti said. "It was a good win for us, not only because they are a NESCAC team, but also because we did have to work hard to get it."
Freshman Brooke Christian netted her first career goal to propel her team to a 1-0 lead at 15:55 of the first half. To secure the win, leading goal scorer Gaudet drilled one past Trinity goalie Jessica Martin on a penalty stroke.
In Tufts' fourth shutout of the season, the team saw improvement on both ends of the field. "We've been playing a lot of little ball and doing passing work in practices," Lionetti said. "We've been doing a lot of changing the fields, which has opened up our field a little more and has given us more room to work with."
Senior goaltender Dena Sloan has fought hard in net the past few matches, earning a fourth-place ranking among NESCAC goalies with a goals against average (GAA) of .78.
"I feel very confident with her behind us," Stahl said. "There are times that there are only certain things that we can do defensively, and it's very reassuring to know that she's behind us."
As regular season play wanes, it is essential that the Jumbos maintain their confidence and intensity. The squad travels to Amherst College Wednesday afternoon to face the second-place Jeffs, and hosts Williams College in its homecoming match on Saturday. Unfortunately for Tufts, the Ephs are Amherst's partner in crime, sharing the second place slot.
Stahl feels that the two threats come at an opportune time in the season. "Now that we have our confidence back, and we know that we can beat a NESCAC team, we feel that we have just as much a chance of beating these two teams as any other," she said.
Although it is unclear as to which teams will be contenders for postseason hockey, the women head into their last two games with the mindset that they are vital to see any playoff action. Plus, a better conference ranking will translate into a higher ranking in the end-of-season NESCAC tournament.
"The next two games are must-win games," Lionetti said. "They are really important because both teams are high in NESCAC rankings, and heading into post-season play, we will need the confidence of a few more wins."
