After cruising through the three games of its NESCAC schedule, the women's soccer team hit a bump on Saturday, as it was blanked by Colby 3-0. For the first time in 24 games since an Oct. 29, 2000 loss to Middlebury, the Jumbos' potent offense was held scoreless, despite the fact that 18 shots were taken.
The loss drops the team into third place in the NESCAC (3-1) and brings its overall record to 3-2.
"I don't think that we played overly bad," sophomore Jess Trombly said. "They played well, but the score doesn't really reflect how we performed."
The game began at a slow pace, and Colby was able to capitalize by scoring a goal 18 minutes into the contest. Off of a corner kick, Stephanie Hicks was able to slip the ball by senior goalkeeper Mara Schanfield. The goal was controversial, however, because although it appeared that Schanfield was fouled while still in the box, no call was made.
So far this season, the Jumbos have looked notably flat in the first half of games but has always rebounded with intensity in the second half. Even on Saturday, it came out of the break looking to control the ball and had a number of good looks at the goal. But Colby goalkeeper Abby Kussell stifled any chance of a comeback, as she recorded 11 saves on the afternoon.
"We had some really good chances offensively," Trombly said. "There were some thru balls that barely missed the net. Their goalie really stepped it up in the second half too."
While the game remained close through the second half, Colby put it out of reach with two late goals. This was unlike the Tufts-Colby game last year, when Tufts staged a comeback at Colby and scored two goals in the final 20 minutes of the game to send it into overtime. After two periods of overtime, then-sophomore Elizabeth Tooley put the game away, and Tufts emerged 3-2 in the important conference game.
Colby is notorious for its uneven playing field and scrappy style of play, and both of these factors contributed to the loss.
"They were very scrappy, and they were also more skilled than some of the other teams we have played," Trombly said. "We have to play differently against teams like that."
Schanfield recorded only two saves in game but did not perform poorly.
"The ball had to get through eleven people, so you can't blame any one person," Trombly said.
"I think it was a disappointment to lose, but we were pretty positive about it," freshman Sara Gelb said. "It was one of those games where we played well, but nothing was going our way."
While the loss was tough, breaking the team's momentum, it will have a chance to atone for it this Wednesday, when the Jumbos square off against non-conference Gordon College.
Last year, the Fighting Scots offered little offensive firepower, as Tufts dominated the game 3-1. The home game should give the Jumbos an opportunity to focus on intensity in a less demanding environment. Looming on the horizon now is Saturday's away game at Bates, who blanked a talented Middlebury team 3-0 on Saturday.
"We are more of a second half team, so we are going to work on our first half intensity in Wednesday's game," Gelb said.
@s:Team looks for rebound game against Gordon
