CASEY SULLIVAN, SOFTBALL
Following a disappointing start to NESCAC play on April 2 when the softball team dropped its first contest to Bowdoin since 2004, the Jumbos headed to Bates this weekend looking to get back on track and reassert themselves as the dominant offensive team they were last year when the squad made it to the College World Series. Thanks in large part to senior tri-captain Casey Sullivan, Tufts is looking strong.
Sullivan swatted a pair of home runs on Sunday as part of a four-RBI day, helping the Jumbos to a series sweep of the Bobcats with an 8-3 win in the third and final game of the weekend. Sullivan, a shortstop, hit home runs in the fifth and seventh innings to help break open a close contest, finishing with two hits and two runs in three at bats.
In Saturday's 9-0 and 10-2 routs of Bates, Sullivan had a banner day, going a combined 5-for-7 with four RBIs and five runs scored. She also added to her gaudy home-run total with a pair in the early contest and sparked a seven-run rally in the fifth inning with a leadoff single in the latter game, adding another hit in the frame as the Jumbos batted around.
The Jumbos' No. 3 hitter is currently leading the team in most offensive categories, including runs (23), hits (31), doubles (7), triples (2), home runs (7), RBIs (20) and on-base percentage (.446). Sullivan has also thus far posted an impressive .900 slugging percentage, which is well ahead of pace to break the current program mark of .869.
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STEVE FOGLIETTA, MEN'S LACROSSE
Last season, the Jumbos' eight-game, season-opening winning streak was halted on the road thanks to an 11-9 loss to Trinity. Ranked fifth in the nation at the time, Tufts allowed three consecutive fourth-period goals as the Bantams overcame the one-goal deficit. But with sophomore goalie Steve Foglietta leading the charge on Bello Field this weekend versus the Bantams, there was no such upset.
Foglietta, who stopped 11 out of 16 shots in the net, helped sixth-ranked Tufts to its ninth straight win, the longest winning streak in program history dating back to 1946 (when records started being kept). Foglietta was stellar in goal all afternoon, saving five shots in the third quarter which helped the Jumbos' offense go on a 3-1 run to surge ahead.
On Tuesday in Tufts' 12-6 midweek win over NESCAC foe Bates, Foglietta came off the bench to shut down the Bobcats' offense. After teammate Bryan Petillo gave up five goals in the opening 14:17, coach Mike Daly pulled his starter, making way for Foglietta, who was lights-out from then on. In just over 45 minutes on the field, Foglietta allowed only one goal, making 10 saves as visiting Tufts turned a two-goal deficit at the end of the first period into a crucial victory that kept them in first place in the league.
The sophomore, who saw just three games last season, has a .573 save percentage on the year and a team-high 47 saves as the Jumbos' defense has given up just 7.33 goals per game on the year.
