Riding a five-game win streak, the women's lacrosse team is all set to compete for the top spot in the hotly contested NESCAC when it takes on Middlebury tomorrow afternoon in a crucial conference matchup.
At 9-1 overall and 5-1 in the NESCAC, the Jumbos are currently tied for first in the conference with defending NESCAC champion Colby, which they dispatched 13-9 in their third game of the season. But with both teams active tomorrow against NESCAC foes, either program has the potential to grab the No. 1 spot in the standings if the other falters. The Jumbos, though, don't seem bothered by the pressure.
"From the success we've seen already against top NESCAC teams ... There's no reason to believe that we can't win this game," sophomore points leader Amanda Roberts said.
"We're feeling pretty good about it," junior Emily Johnson added. "We're going into it thinking we can win."
The Jumbos' confidence is certainly not unfounded, as since falling to Williams on March 21, they have won all five of their games, including a spectacular come-from-behind 11-10 win over Bates on April 1 as well as two other conference victories against Wesleyan and Trinity. It also doesn't hurt that Tufts beat Middlebury 15-7 last year in their penultimate game of the season, finally snapping a losing streak against the Panthers that dated back to 1982.
"We're not talking them up the same as we did last year," sophomore starting goaltender Sara Bloom said. "We have a lot more confidence going into [the game] after beating them last year."
Since defeating Trinity last Saturday, the Jumbos have taken on out-of-conference Gordon and Wheaton, racking up two more wins in preparation for their key matchup tomorrow. And while the team does not want to take any game lightly, they acknowledged that the games served somewhat as a tune-up for tougher opponents like Middlebury.
"It will definitely be a different game," Johnson said.
"Playing a team like Middlebury, all you have to do is go in and play your game and not let them take your momentum," Roberts added.
Over the past week, the Jumbos have been fine-tuning the tools that they will need to overcome the Panthers, and they have definitely shown signs of their current condition in their mid-week contests.
In a 19-10 win against Gordon on Tuesday, the Jumbos outshot the Fighting Scots 38-22, dominating control of the ball throughout the game and taking a commanding 43-29 lead in the groundball column. With the ball usually on their sticks, the Jumbos concentrated on quick penetration of the Scots' zone and on moving the ball to the open player with smart feeds around the arc, easily overwhelming the Scots defense with their speed. The Jumbos will be looking for more of the same tomorrow.
"The key to playing well on attack is to keep the ball moving and attack from every angle," Roberts said. "We are looking to play a strong attack and to penetrate deep and attack from all around that eight-foot arc."
While the Jumbos were able to utilize their advantage in speed frequently against Gordon, they may find it a bit more difficult to cash in tomorrow. Standing between the Jumbos and the back of the net will be senior goalie Blair Bowie, who leads all NESCAC goaltenders in goals-against average, save percentage and saves per game. With the added obstacle of Bowie between the pipes, it will be even more important for the Jumbos to gain and maintain control of the ball whenever possible, placing added emphasis on controlling the draws and winning the battle for groundballs.
"Draw controls are very important, and we've been working on that a lot," Johnson said.
"We need to clean up on the basics like going for groundballs," Bloom added.
At the other end of the pitch, the Jumbos' defense will be looking to silence Middlebury by keeping it out on the perimeter and eliminating quality scoring opportunities.
"Our defense has been working on getting a little stronger," Johnson said. "[Against Gordon] we gave them a few opportunities we shouldn't have."
"Our D has been doing a great job," Bloom said. "When they're on, they really keep players out of the eight."
Even those shots that do make it by the Tufts defense will have a hard time finding the back of the cage, as Bloom is second in the conference in save percentage and fourth in GAA.
By the time the Jumbos and Panthers kick off the action at 2 p.m., the Jumbos will already know the outcome of Colby's contest against last-place Connecticut College, which starts at 11 a.m. With a win, the Mules will ensure that they at least stay tied in the standings with the Jumbos, but as the fierce NESCAC has proven time and again, no win is ever certain. The Jumbos will be going into their own game with the same outlook, knowing that they are all but guaranteed a victory, however confident they are.
"Right now, we're just looking forward to a great game," Roberts said. "It's just one game at a time."
