After scoring four or more goals in seven of eight games to open the season, opponents had held the field hockey team to three goals or fewer in each of its past four contests. Yesterday afternoon's 6-1 victory over the Endicott Gulls changed that.
With their final regular season game quickly approaching -- a much-anticipated showdown with the nation-leading No. 1 Bowdoin Polar Bears Friday that will determine the top seed in the NESCAC Tournament -- the Jumbos' scoring dominance couldn't have returned at a better time.
Yesterday's offensive firepower also allowed coach Tina McDavitt to play the entire roster, and six different players contributed to the scoring.
"It was good to get everybody in," McDavitt said. "It shows our depth. The win was a good team effort."
Tufts started off the game at full throttle, drawing five penalty corners in the first four minutes of play. The squad's first score came from sophomore Tamara Brown off a pass from senior Tess Jasinski. The goal marked Brown's 18th of the season, tying the record for goals scored in regular-season games, which was set by Ileana Casellas-Katz (LA '08) last year. Tufts' second and third goals, courtesy of junior Michelle Kelly and freshman Lindsay Griffith, came within 18 seconds of each other, widening the deficit to an insurmountable margin.
"We were really strong in the first half, though at times we were having trouble breaking down our steps," McDavitt said.
This struggle went unnoticed, however, as the Jumbos racked up yet another goal with 21:09 left in the first half when sophomore Amanda Roberts maneuvered the ball around defenders and crossed the ball to sophomore Melissa Burke, who put it in the back of the net.
But the Jumbos didn't stop there. With 7:33 remaining in the half, Endicott senior goalkeeper Chelsea DeFeo dove to block a shot from the top of the circle, but junior Amanda Russo was there for the rebound, notching her 10th goal of the season. The score put the Jumbos up 5-0 heading into the mid-game break.
With 20 seconds remaining in the contest, freshman Anna Giannoni took the Gulls'only shot of the game and made it count, denying Tufts' freshman goalkeeper Marianna Zak the shutout. The tally was the only stain on a commanding performance by the Jumbos, who dominated the Gulls 27-1 in shots and 14-3 in penalty corners. Neither goalie for the Jumbos had the opportunity to touch the ball.
Despite what the numbers may suggest, Endicott was not taken lightly by the undefeated Jumbo squad.
"Endicott is 15-3 and currently at the top of [The Commonwealth Coast Conference]," McDavitt said. "It was a big win."
But the biggest win is hopefully still to come for the Jumbos as they gear up for a Halloween shootout with the Bowdoin Polar Bears on Friday. If the Jumbos emerge victorious, they will be the sole regular season winners of the NESCAC as well as the No. 1 seed in the NESCAC tournament, which begins on Sunday and will ensure home field advantage throughout the tournament. A victory for the Polar Bears would mean a tie between Tufts and Bowdoin for the NESCAC title, but the Polar Bears would get the No. 1 seed after winning the head-to-head contest.
The Jumbos are well aware of what awaits them in Brunswick, Maine, as they will have to find a way to contain senior tri-captain and 2007 NESCAC Player of the Year Lindsay McNamara, who has 25 goals in 13 games this season.
"It's definitely going to be a battle," McDavitt said. "We haven't been practicing anything really specific this week ... but we are going to have to shut down their leading scorer, Lindsay McNamara."
"We take one day at a time, so we haven't been thinking about the Bowdoin game yet," added Brown, who was named NESCAC player of the week for the second time this season following a two-goal performance at nationally-ranked No. 9 Trinity Saturday. "We'll be spending the next two days focusing on Bowdoin and how to exploit their weaknesses."
The Jumbos' victory over the Bantams earned them the No. 4 spot in the NCAA rankings yesterday, one place higher than last week's poll. Sitting at their highest position yet, the Jumbos are poised to duke it out for the conference crown.
"Whoever comes out ready to play is going to win," Brown said. "I think if we get a goal in early, we'll have it. We're definitely capable."
