Whether it is pretty or ugly, the Jumbos will do everything theycan at Trinity this Saturday to get their fourth leaguevictory.
After getting off to a slow start this season, the women soccerteam has won four of its last five contests, including a 3-2triumph over Wesleyan at Kraft Field Tuesday. Despite not playingtheir best soccer against the Cardinals, the Jumbos were still ableto squeak out a victory, their third straight against a conferencefoe.
Senior forward Jen Baldwin scored the game winner late in thegame, her second goal of the year. However, the team lacked anysort of intensity and coach Martha Whiting hopes Saturday will be adifferent story.
"When we play on Tuesdays, we really have a problem getting upfor games," she said. "Saturdays are different because there are noclasses and we can fully concentrate on the game."
Luckily for Tufts, the remaining schedule seems to play to itsstrength. Three of the team's final four games are played onSaturdays and the one that is played midweek is against KeeneState, a non-league opponent. The Jumbos hope to take advantage oftheir favorable schedule.
Tufts, 4-3-2 overall (3-1-2, NESCAC), sits all alone in thirdplace in the conference, trailing only Middlebury and Amherst inthe standings. Trinity is tied for eighth in the league.Connecticut College, the team the Bantams are tied with, soundlybeat them last Saturday 2-0.
Trinity is led by sophomore forward Erin Bridge and seniorforward Nicole Mauger. Both have 11 points this season, includingfive goals for Bridge. However, scoring has not been Trinity'sproblem this year. The Bantams have yet to shutout an opponent andhave given up 18 goals in nine games. The Jumbos, whose offenseseemed to jumpstart against Wesleyan, will look to capitalize onthe weak defense and get on the board early and often.
Tufts was without senior co-captain Sarah Gelb on Tuesdaybecause of a sprained ankle, and the midfielder remainsquestionable for the weekend.
"Sarah may get limited time on Saturday," Whiting said."However, if we can get through the game without needing to useher, the extra time off would really help to get her healthy fornext week."
Next Tuesday, the squad will play its final road game of theyear at Keene State. Though the Owls are not a league opponent, thegame will give the Jumbos a chance to work on bringing intensity toa midweek game.
Tufts' last two games of the regular season will be played onconsecutive Saturdays at home. The first is against a Williams teamthat currently sits just behind Tufts in fourth place. The Jumboswill also host Connecticut College the following Saturday.
The women are not looking toward the future yet, though. Theyare playing good soccer, as the recent wins have proven, but with ahigher level of intensity, they can be playing great soccer.Whiting is figuring out how to make this happen.
"We have very intense practices," she said. "We have practicesthat work us hard so that we will have the same intensity come gametime. A lot of what we're doing is focusing on scoring goals andworking hard in the attacking third."
Game time on Saturday afternoon in Hartford is set for 11a.m.
