The injuries are piling on at an incredible rate for the women's soccer team.
When the Jumbos take on non-conference foe Keene State tonight in Keene, N.H., they will be stretching their roster to its absolute limit, as no less than five players, including both of the team's goalkeepers, will be sidelined by injuries sustained over the past week.
During its matchup against Brandeis on Oct. 7, junior tri-captain and reigning NESCAC Rookie of the Year Cara Cadigan, who set the program's single season scoring record last season, was lost to what appears to be a season-ending ACL injury. Cadigan was forced to miss her entire freshman season with an ACL injury to her other knee.
Things got even worse for Tufts during its Saturday contest against NESCAC rival Middlebury, when three additional players were hurt. Starting goalkeeper junior Kate Minnehan is out at least a couple of weeks and likely the rest of the season after a collision with a Panthers player left her with a chipped bone in her hand.
Her replacement, sophomore Hannah Jacobs, also left Saturday's game after she wound up on the wrong end of a collision with a Middlebury player, injuring her ribs. While she will sit out today's game against Keene State, Jacobs may be ready to play by the weekend, when the Jumbos will host a critical NESCAC showdown against nationally-ranked No. 1 Williams.
In the meantime, however, Tufts will rely on the combination of senior tri-captain Maya Shoham, a midfielder who took over in net for the final 34:52 of Saturday's game, and senior Alissa Brandon, who has been summoned from the JV squad to provide the team with some depth in goal.
In addition, starting sophomore midfielder Geneva DeGregorio aggravated a groin injury she had initially suffered in practice, sending her to the bench for today's contest.
She will be joined there by freshman midfielder Alix Michael, who has been out the past few weeks with a concussion but may be well enough to play on Saturday against Williams.
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