Tufts edged out Trinity in Hartford, Conn., on Saturday to secure their third NESCAC win, and improved their overall record to 11–9. On Trinity’s Senior Day, the game was a hard-fought battle, with Tufts’ defense and composure proving to be pivotal in the win.
First-year guard Tessa Lozner led the way for the Jumbos points-wise, recording 15 points total, including 6 in the first quarter and 6 in the third, along with 4 rebounds. First-year guard Abby Congdon also made a substantial impact with 14 points, 5 steals and 4 assists, making key plays late in the game. Sophomore guard Claire Kolkhorst had a well-rounded performance, tallying 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals — a big contributor in Tufts’ 59–55 win.
Tufts heated up quickly in the first quarter, shooting 50% from the field. Kolkhorst got the ball rolling with a fadeaway jumper, and after a brief lull, a 3-pointer from senior guard Annie Aspesi sparked the momentum. Tufts found their rhythm midway through the quarter, moving the ball well from inside out and capitalizing on backdoor looks for uncontested layups. Before a backdoor cut from Congdon to Lozner and another drive from Lozner, Trinity held its largest lead of the game.
A 3-pointer from Kolkhorst, a layup from Lozner and an offensive putback from senior forward Sarah Crossett gave the Jumbos the first lead of the game, 16–14. A 3-pointer and backdoor finish from Congdon extended the Jumbos’ lead to 21–16 at the end of the first quarter.
Trinity tightened up their defense in the second quarter, denying the paint and forcing tough looks. Tufts’ first points in the quarter came at 5:24 with two successful free throws from junior guard Stella Galanes off the bench. Despite shooting 3–12 from the field in the period, Tufts’ relentless man-to-man defense held Trinity to 4–12 shooting from the field, where they forced contested 3-pointer attempts. A 3-pointer from Tufts’ sophomore forward Siobhan Stapleton extended Tufts’ lead to 8 points. Tufts entered halftime leading 30–24.
The third quarter proved crucial to Tufts’ win, in which they built their biggest lead of the game — 14 points. The Jumbos neutralized strong Bantam defender senior forward Melissa Whitmore, pushing the pace in transition and converting on multiple Bantam turnovers. After a Lozner drive and free throw, a corner three from Kolkhorst forced Trinity to a timeout, with Tufts up by 7. Out of the timeout, Congdon denied a Trinity entry pass into the post, getting the steal and hitting a corner three, which stretched the lead to 10.
Coast-to-coast finishes from Lozner pushed the differential to 14. Trinity persisted by shooting a perfect 6–6 from the line, allowing them to stay within reach. Despite scoring 16 total points in the quarter, Tufts’ quick pace in transition and active defense allowed them to jump passing lanes, forcing tightly-marked looks into the post, which helped them maintain the lead. A buzzer-beater 3–pointer from Trinity made the score 47–40 going into the final quarter.
Trinity came out blazing to start the quarter with a 9–0 run. Maintaining longer possessions, Trinity attacked the paint and finished inside. A Bantam drive gave them a short 2-point lead with 6:10 left in the game.
Tufts responded with composure, letting their defense guide their offense. Defensive stops led to easy transition looks. Tufts’ defense forced seven Trinity turnovers in the second half of the fourth quarter.
Congdon converted a tough and-one layup to put the Jumbos back ahead, 50–49. On the following possession, Congdon stole the ball and scored on a backdoor pass from Stapleton. Another backdoor connection, this time Congdon to Kolhorst, put the Jumbos up by 5. Long offensive rebounds by Kolhorst allowed the Jumbos to extend possessions and regain control of the tempo.
With 34 seconds left in the game, Trinity brought the score back within two, leading to a Tufts timeout, but crucial free throws from Galanes increased the lead to four, making it a two-possession game. Both teams went to the line before the end of the game, each making one free throw, which secured Tufts’ 59–55 win.
With shooting percentages and rebounding nearly the same, the difference came from offensive decision-making, defensive pressure and, ultimately, scoring on turnovers. Twenty points for the Jumbos came from 21 Bantam turnovers. A balanced scoring performance also led to Tufts’ win.
After defeating Wesleyan 74–57 the day before, head coach Meredith Mesaris wrote in a statement to the Daily, “We had a great NESCAC weekend, earning two road wins — something that’s extremely hard to do in our conference. Our defensive intensity was exactly where it needed to be all weekend. We set the tone on that end and earned two tough wins over Wesleyan and Trinity. This group is peaking at the right time.”
Tufts is now tied for No. 6 in the NESCAC and will face off at home against Amherst on Friday at 7 p.m.
