For the second straight week, and the league-leading third time this year, the NESCAC player in the spotlight is a Jumbo.
Freshman Michelle Kelly was named the conference Player of the Week on Monday for her outstanding offensive week that included five goals in three games, the program's first hat trick in six years and all three game-winners, including the one that vaulted the Jumbos over Trinity in Sunday's first-round NESCAC playoff game.
In the team's 6-0 spanking of Endicott on Tuesday, Kelly provided the first, third and fourth goals, getting the Jumbos started early and putting the game away in the second half. In a must-win game on Saturday to secure homefield advantage in the first round of NESCACs, Kelly knocked in the first of two Tufts goals to sink the Conn. College Camels and earn the first home berth in program history.
Kelly wasn't done yet, however, and with the game against Trinity knotted at one with four minutes to go, the freshman came up big one final time, tipping home a penalty corner shot from senior co-captain Stacey Watkins to put the lead back on the Tufts side, where it would stay.
Kelly leads the Jumbos with 10 goals this year, the most by a freshman since 1999. At left wing, the freshman has quietly surged to third in the league in goals scored, the result of good field sense and a quick stick that has tipped in almost a third of the Jumbos' goals this year.
- by Liz Hoffman
