Rain may have drenched the field Saturday, but it couldn't drown out the enthusiasm of the Tufts field hockey team after it took down Williams in a 3-0 win.
"It was pouring," coach Tina McDavitt said. "The weather was terrible. But we joke that we love playing in the rain, so we didn't let the weather bother us, and it really didn't on Saturday."
The Jumbos started off strong and refused to let up as the game went on. Less than four minutes into the game, junior Jess Perkins got the scoring started with a goal off a penalty corner. It was the second goal of the season for Perkins, and it gave Tufts a lead it would not relinquish the rest of the afternoon. It was also the Jumbos' fifth penalty corner opportunity of the game, as they took control of the contest from the get go.
"[Senior forward] Michelle Kelly had a really strong insert, so I had plenty of time at the top of the circle to take a shot from the top, and it went in the left corner of the goal," Perkins said.
The goal was important not only because it put Williams in a hole but also because it vindicated many of the team's drills from practice.
"It felt great. We've been working a lot on corners this year, so it's nice that we finally were able to capitalize on it," Perkins said.
In addition, the early goal gave Tufts a chance to relax and work together.
"Jess Perkins getting her goal in the first half was really good to put us up," McDavitt added. "Once we were up we could take a breath."
Coming off their only loss of the season to Trinity just a week ago, the Jumbos were able to turn their play around in the game against the Ephs, who owned a 5-2 NESCAC record heading into the contest. Tufts is now 2-0 after that loss, with its latest win coming on the heels of a 9-0 drubbing of Gordon last week in a non-conference game.
"I think [the Trinity game] was definitely a wake-up call," junior Tamara Brown said. "That was not one of our best games of the season. We were anxious to get on the field and put that loss behind us. It lit a fire under us. I don't want to say it was a good thing, but there are positives we can take from it."
"In the Trinity game, some players were trying to do too much," McDavitt added. "I told them, ‘Take care of your own job, do the little things well, and we'll get the W.' And that's what happened."
With the fundamentals in mind, Tufts kept Williams junior goalkeeper Katrina Tulla occupied with 15 shots in the first half. By the end of the period, what the 1-0 scoreboard didn't show was the Jumbos' continuous command of the field.
"Everyone on the team had a strong game," Brown said. "We worked together; it was a really positive feel, and we really just dominated."
"I felt we really clicked as a team," Perkins added. "We had great passing through the midfield, and we played good defense. It was really a testament to the strength of our defense. This game was a good example of how we've improved. Our other two goals were off of rebounds, which is something we've been working on a lot — getting lots of touches and deflections in the circle."
In the second half, Tufts continued to eradicate any Williams attempt at a comeback. Kelly scored her eighth goal of the season off a pass from Brown just two minutes in to make it 2-0. Minutes later, senior co-captain Amanda Russo took a shot that rebounded off Tulla, allowing Brown to step in and score the game's final goal.
"We played well, and we communicated really well," Perkins said. "Communication was a really big part of this game. Our passes were really strong, people weren't holding on to the ball too long, and it was a lot of two-touch passing down the field. We had Williams on their toes."
The win against the Ephs cements Tufts' position as the No. 2 seed heading into the NESCAC tournament. With just one game remaining against rival Bowdoin, the Jumbos will finish the regular season in second place behind Trinity as they head into the postseason this Sunday.
"I think we're not totally over the Trinity loss, and we would have loved to be first, but second is something to be really proud of too," Brown said.
"In terms of our place in the league, [the Williams game] was a really huge win," McDavitt added. "I'm very pleased with that [the seed]. It will [be] great to play our first tournament game at home."
But before they head into the tournament, the Jumbos will have to deal with the Bowdoin Polar Bears. Although the game won't have a bearing on the NESCAC seed, last year's loss to Bowdoin in the national championship game means that the upcoming rematch is sure to bring back some powerful memories.
"I think Williams and Bowdoin are both really important games," Brown said. "It was nice to have a dominating win on Saturday because Bowdoin is strong team. It's going to be an emotional game just because of last year and the history, so it's important we had a big win going into that game."
With the Williams win — and the Trinity loss — behind them, the Jumbos have fine-tuned their skills in preparation for the upcoming NESCAC playoffs.
"It shows us a good lesson that when we play well together, we can be really successful," McDavitt said. "It's a matter of each person having confidence in what they're doing. I saw Bowdoin play; they're a really good team, so it should be a really good matchup. I'm just pleased and excited to keep the season going."
