After a 12-9 loss to Colby last weekend in Medford, things looked bleak for the women's lacrosse team. The setback dropped coach Carol Rappoli's squad to 0-5 in the NESCAC, placing it in danger of not qualifying for the postseason for the first time in the last 11 seasons. But now, just a week later, the Jumbos' magic number has been reduced to one with two critical conference games remaining on their schedule.
"I think that the whole team is really pumped right now," senior co-captain Christina Orf said. "I think we finally established ourselves as a strong team in the NESCAC. Everybody was starting to doubt us after a few losses in a row."
On the heels of back to back conference wins at home by identical 7-5 scores, first over Wesleyan on Thursday and then against Bates on Saturday, Tufts has moved itself right back into the thick of the playoff picture. "With these two wins, we showed that we will be a tough team to beat in the playoffs," Orf said.
Against Bates, which came into the game ranked 21st in Division III, Tufts watched a 4-2 halftime lead disintegrate before Willow Hagge scored the game winner with just under ten minutes remaining in regulation. Hagge, who leads the team with 22 goals, broke a 5-5 deadlock at 9:39 on an assist from senior co-captain Liz Horowitz after Bates had first rallied to tie the contest at four with 20 minutes left and then again at five with 15 to go.
"They had a little run of scoring, which is something that had given us problems earlier in the season," Orf said. "But everybody picked themselves up and got right back into it. That proves the difference as to where we are now."
The Jumbos appeared to be in control after sophomore Kristin Saldrelli put them up 5-4 with her second goal of the game at 15:41. Then Bates junior Liz Lawler, who scored three on the day, answered a minute later to knot the score at five. Four minutes later, Hagge would come through, and then Horowitz sealed the deal with an insurance goal at 1:59 to make it 7-5.
The Tufts defense held strong after Hagge's goal, as it stifled a potent Bates offense that had been averaging 16.6 goals per outing. Junior goalie Ari Kristan made ten saves en route to her sixth win.
"Our defense played spectacular," Orf said. "It was the best zone I've seen in a long time with a lot of communication."
The defense also overcame the absence of its keystone, junior Kathy Kenney, who missed the game due to a family emergency. "We were all broken up on Saturday, and we just went out and played the game for her," Orf said. "We really came together."
Saldrelli and Hagge were each credited with two scores on the afternoon, while freshman Jen Griffin, Horowitz, and junior Maureen Mahon had one each. Horowitz, sophomore Erin Hyde, and Hagge each registered assists.
In the Wesleyan game, Tufts again had a halftime lead, but was ultimately forced to hold off a pesky opponent down the stretch. And again, the Jumbo defense was a large factor, as it held the visiting Cardinals to their lowest scoring output of the season.
"Our defense was very good against Wesleyan," Orf said. "But the offense was spectacular, they executed a lot of plays we had worked on in practice, and if it wasn't for them we wouldn't have had a lead to begin with."
The hosts took command in the first four minutes, as they jumped out to a 2-0 advantage on goals by Hagge and Horowitz. The Cardinals followed suit, however, with two quick goals of their own to tie the game at 6:22. Then freshman Sarah Lipson and sophomore Lauren Peach scored 45 seconds apart to give the Jumbos a 4-2 lead at the break.
Wesleyan gained momentum after the intermission, pulling to within one goal with 20 minutes to play in the contest when Martina McPherson's tally made it 4-3. Mahon's goal at 17:23 put Tufts back on top at 5-3, but then Wesleyan quickly cut the deficit to one again with another score a minute later. Lipson and Hagge each followed with their second goals of the contest to put the Cardinals away for good.
"Willow is a very big offensive threat," Orf said "When our team gets down, I'm confident that she's going to step it up and execute plays."
Kristan was credited with ten saves, while Wesleyan's Meriel Drazen turned back 13.
The Jumbos (6-5 overall, 2-5 NESCAC) currently sit in a three-way tie for the seventh and final playoff spot along with Trinity and Wesleyan, are slated to face Amherst (6-1) at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Conn. College (0-8) next Saturday to wrap up the regular season.
"Amherst is going to be a very challenging team, but if we could clinch that win it would probably seal our playoff spot," Orf said. "I think that the whole team is really pumped right now, I think we finally established ourselves as a strong team in the NESCAC... we're going to be a tough team to beat in the playoffs."
