The field hockey team may not have an NCAA title to show for its unprecedented run to the championship matchup, and it may not even have a NESCAC title to show for its dominance against top-notch conference competitors. Tufts has two-time national champion Bowdoin to thank for both of those losses.
But that's not to say that the Jumbos didn't see unprecedented levels of success this season: The second team in the history of Tufts athletics to compete in a Div. III national championship game, the squad has come a long way from its 2005 8-7 regular season record. Since then, senior tri-captains Brittany Holiday, Tess Jasinski and Marlee Kutcher have witnessed a steady turnaround that saw their final season culminate in a 19-2 overall record.
And while the graduation of Holiday, Jasinski and Kutcher will certainly mark a tangible loss on next season's roster, the youthful Jumbo squad will have a wide spectrum of talent to tap into next fall.
"With all the success we've had, we've had such a young team -- 16 of 23 players are underclassmen," sophomore Tamara Brown said. "[Holiday, Jasinski and Kutcher] are really going to be missed, on and off the field, and they were amazing team leaders and captains and can't be replaced. I think we have a really strong core returning in our underclassmen that has become even stronger with our successes this season, and we'll be working in the spring to keep up our skills before the fall season."
Key for the Jumbos will be Brown herself, who led the team offensively throughout the fall. Brown has already broken the program's single-season record with 28 goals this year, and with two seasons left, she's on pace to break Tufts' career record -- 44 goals, set by Aryn Landau (LA '91). Moreover, the sophomore forward has scored in the clutch, posting nine game-winning goals, three of which were tallied in overtime games with NESCAC foes Trinity and Middlebury. Her single-game career high of three goals came against national No. 1 Messiah in the NCAA semifinals, which the Jumbos went on to win, 5-2.
"The best word to describe [Brown] is determined," coach Tina McDavitt said. "She's determined to win and be the best player she can be. She has gained a lot of respect from the team, the coaching staff and those outside of the league for her accomplishments. She's a workhorse and will do whatever it takes to make sure the team wins. She's humble and is the ultimate team player, and while she holds the record for most goals on a season, she carries herself in a manner in which you would never know of her successes."
This season, the Jumbos also turned to juniors Michelle Kelly and Amanda Russo as scoring leaders on the forward line. The duo has tapped in a combined 26 goals, including five game-winners and 12 assists, and both players have exhibited stick skills under pressure and an unrivaled thirst for victory on the turf.
"With next year being the last year for [Kelly and Russo], there's going to be even more momentum and a greater incentive to go all the way and win the NESCAC championship and possibly the NCAA championship," Brown said. "This year, we had a really great season, but we didn't capture either title. The return of [junior defenders Margi Scholtes and Emma Kozumbo] will also drive our team, as they had really incredible seasons and I don't think that will change when we come back in the fall."
Tufts' defense was also a critical component to its success this season, and it didn't go unrecognized. Sophomore defender Amanda Roberts, who earned NESCAC Second Team honors, was selected as a member of the Longstreth/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-American Third Team. Additionally, after garnering the title of NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year, awarded earlier this month, Scholtes was named to the All-American First Team for 2008. Although Scholtes tallied just two goals on the year, she made her presence felt in the circle with nine assists, tying Russo for the team lead.
"[Scholtes] is a true competitor," McDavitt said. "She is aggressive on the field and a real foundation for her teammates. She'll do a great job as a senior and with everything that she has accomplished this year, she's poised to come back in the fall with more momentum as a player that loves to compete and loves to win."
The arrival of freshman goaltender Marianna Zak should not be overlooked as a key addition to the Tufts defense. Zak, who started 18 of 21 games for the Jumbos, posted 58 saves on the season with a .773 save percentage in her first season of collegiate field hockey. Zak surrendered just 17 goals on the year and played with poise against top-ranked teams.
"Mentally, [Zak] is always prepared, in big games especially," McDavitt said. "Even as a freshman, she is calm and comfortable in the cage, and her play in the postseason was incredible. She built off a season's worth of progressively honing her skills and it paid off, being even-keeled in the cage against some of our toughest opponents."
While the young squad was dealt a devastating blow to end its historic record-breaking season, the Jumbos showcased the talent of their upperclassmen and the maturity of their younger players. With the offseason ahead, Tufts will have to wait to see what is in store on Bello Field next fall and for the real possibility of a repeat championship run.
"To lose to Bowdoin in both the NESCAC and NCAA Championships was tough because we proved that we could beat top teams like Bowdoin in the regular season," Russo said. "In the NCAA Tournament, we didn't play our best against them. We are looking forward to the chance of going head to head with Bowdoin again, and we are already dying to get back on the field."
"Being a premier team in the country is a position we've never been in before," Brown said. "It's going to be a challenge for us to keep up our level of play, but we're going to rise to the occasion ... We're not completely satisfied with this season, and it's added fuel to the fire for a strong 2009 season."
