Three victories last week keep Jumbos atop NESCAC

    There is no substitute for a solid goalie. Great offense and stifling defense can carry a team so far, but in the end, great goaltending, above all else, can win a championship. So far this season, women's lacrosse's Sara Bloom has proven just that, earning NESCAC Player of the Week honors yesterday for her outstanding performance.
    In the past week, the Jumbos' sophomore goaltender came up huge for her squad, posting some of the best numbers of her career to lead the team to its sixth straight win and its 10th of season. Starting with wins over Gordon and Wheaton during the week, Bloom and the Jumbos then took on NESCAC rival Middlebury in a crucial conference matchup on Saturday.
    Bloom posted 11 saves in the 12-7 defeat of the Panthers, allowing her lowest goal total of the season and helping defend the Jumbos' spot atop the NESCAC standings, where they remain tied with Colby. With her 103 saves this year, Bloom now leads all NESCAC goaltenders with a .566 save percentage and sits third in Goals Against Average. In her award-winning week, Bloom posted a .641 save percentage and a 7.49 goals against average, standing tall between Tufts' opponents and the back of the cage.