Final two weeks will determine team's fate

The time has come for the Tufts field hockey team to kick their play into overdrive. With just three games remaining before playoffs, the Jumbos must win at least one of their two upcoming NESCAC matches to ensure a spot in the postseason tournament. They will have their opportunities against Middlebury this coming Saturday and against Colby on Nov. 2.

With a 3-4 league record, Tufts currently stands in sixth place. Tuesday's victory versus Wesleyan (4-3 NESCAC) enabled the team to remain in the playoff hunt. The top seven squads will be invited to the NESCAC tournament, which begins on Nov. 3. Whether Tufts is in action in the first round of postseason play depends on its performance over the next two weeks.

The Jumbos will face off against third place (5-2) Middlebury in Vermont this Saturday. The Panthers boast last week's NESCAC Player-of-the-Week, senior Kate Perine, and have won their last three games. Middlebury's only NESCAC losses came to co-league leaders Bowdoin and Williams. Middlebury will be hungry for a victory in order to guarantee a first round home game and possibly a bid to host the tournament championship.

To beat the Panthers on their home turf, Tufts will have to elevate its defense. It must stop Perine who scored four first half goals against Union in a 9-0 Middlebury victory and the game winning point against Bates last week.

"We have adjusted defensively in practice and plan to keep a few girls back on their strong attack players," senior tri-captain Laura Hacker said. "Our team is very versatile and will be able to adjust."

The Jumbos also need to find the missing pieces of the scoring puzzle, pieces which have been absent all season. Tufts has scored only six goals over the course of its eleven games and has been shut out in five matches. In order to beat Middlebury, the squad must capitalize on any scoring chances. The team has been working and organizing in practice to enhance their offensive opportunities.

"We have switched around the lineup to create a stronger attack," Hacker said.

Tufts will take the field at home against Gordon College on Tuesday. The Fighting Scots hold an impressive 12-3 record and are ranked first in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. Though a non-league game, the Jumbos will still have to play aggressively on both ends of the field to gain momentum for their next NESCAC match.

"Gordon will be an opportunity to help or mental game and boost our morale," Hacker said.

Possibly, the most critical remaining regular season game comes Nov. 2 at home against Colby. The Mules currently share sixth place in NESCAC with the Jumbos and are also battling for a playoff berth. After recovering from a midseason slide in which Colby was shut out in four straight competitions, the Mules have rebounded to win their last two matches. Last week, they tallied an overtime win against Southern Maine and a 2-0 shut out versus NESCAC rival Connecticut College.

The Jumbos will have the home crowd advantage against Colby and should be ready after three days of practice following Tuesday's match against Gordon.

As with the approaching culmination of any season, the players are beginning to feel the emotions associated with closing out a chapter of their athletic experiences.

"It is sad, but also there is a sense of urgency to give it all we have," Hacker said.

For tri-captains Hacker, Dana Chivvis and Ursula Stahl along with fellow seniors Karyn Moar and Lauren Rufino, these last two weeks will wrap up their college field hockey careers. They, along with the rest of the team, aspire to end the season with a bang by making and excelling in the playoffs for the first time since the 2000 season.