Tufts women’s soccer returned from a conference road trip with its unbeaten record intact, defeating Amherst 3–1 on Saturday before shutting out Hamilton 3–0 on Sunday. Ranked No. 3 entering the weekend, the Jumbos improved to a 6–2 record overall and 4–2 in NESCAC play.
First-year defender Maile Lung opened the scoring at Amherst in the seventh minute, recording her second goal of the season. After her goal against MIT, the finish gave Lung goals in consecutive games and provided another attacking contribution from the Jumbos’ back line.
Amherst answered around the 11th minute through forward Jessica Lomo, assisted by midfielder Katie Pedersen. Pedersen intercepted a pass in midfield and released Lomo behind the defense, where she finished past senior goalkeeper Gigi Edwards. The equalizer briefly erased Tufts’ advantage, but the Jumbos continued to generate opportunities.
Senior forward Waverly Sumner restored the lead at 27:04 with a long-range strike. After receiving a throw-in from sophomore defender Alyssa Ruiz, Sumner advanced and sent a shot into the upper-left from roughly 40 yards out.
“I did see her quick check, so I hit her feet hoping she would turn. I didn’t expect the shot, but that’s just Wavey. She puts those in,” Ruiz wrote to the Daily.
The Jumbos entered halftime with a 14–4 advantage in shots and a 4–1 edge in corner kicks. Their pressure gave Amherst little margin for error, although the narrow lead meant Tufts still had work to do after the interval.
Senior forward Hannah Batt supplied the insurance goal at 48:59. Capitalizing on a miscommunication between Amherst players, Batt collected the loose ball, rounded goalkeeper Corina Bellermann and finished into an open net. The goal rewarded Tufts’ quick restart and made Amherst’s route back into the game considerably harder.
Tufts finished with advantages of 23–9 in shots and 6–3 in corners. Senior midfielder Reese Birch led the Jumbos with seven attempts, including four on target. Edwards made six saves, while Bellermann recorded nine. The result reflected Tufts’ attacking volume without diminishing its goalkeeper’s role in protecting the lead.
The following morning, Tufts faced a different challenge in Clinton, N.Y. Hamilton outshot Tufts 13–6 before halftime and forced Edwards into four saves. The Jumbos kept the game scoreless, but the Continentals’ pressure made the opening half a test of their defensive organization.
Edwards’ most consequential intervention came just before the break, when she denied a header from midfielder Sarah Flood following a corner. The diving stop kept Hamilton from converting its late pressure into a lead and allowed Tufts to begin the second half on level terms.
Senior defender Rachel Arcella credited Hamilton’s high press with disrupting Tufts’ distribution in the opening half.
“At halftime we talked about being more intentional with our passes, creative with our runs, and communicating more all over the field,” Arcella wrote.
Junior midfielder Maren Jones broke the deadlock at 48:57 after combining with Birch. Jones carried the ball forward, passed to Birch in the penalty area and received the return ball before finishing low into the far side. The move gave the Jumbos the breakthrough they had been unable to find before halftime.
Jones then helped create the next goal. A throw-in from Ruiz reached Jones, who slipped a pass to senior midfielder Emily Nicholas for a finish at 58:08. Nicholas’ fourth goal of the season extended the lead and rewarded another attacking sequence.
Sumner completed the scoring at 61:24, running onto Batt’s pass over the defense and finishing into the upper-right corner. The goal brought her season total to a team-leading five and completed a three-goal burst in just over 12 minutes.
The change after halftime extended beyond the scoring. Tufts outshot Hamilton 11–1 in the second half, finishing up 17–14 overall and up 9–4 in shots on goal. Edwards needed no additional saves after the break, as Tufts’ defense limited Hamilton’s opportunities to respond.
Lung and junior defender Phoebe Marsick each played the full match against both Amherst and Hamilton, providing continuity through the quick turnaround. Marsick has played every minute of Tufts’ season, a steady presence behind an attack drawing contributions from several positions.
The weekend also highlighted the variety in Tufts’ attacks. Sumner led the team in goals afterward, while Jones’ three goals and five assists gave her 11 points, tied with Sumner for the team lead. Nicholas followed with four goals. Their production offers different routes to goal as the conference schedule continues.
For Arcella, managing the road schedule draws on the senior class’ experience adapting to unfamiliar facilities, meals and conditions.
“However, the main thing that affects if we win or lose is our attitude and grit,” Arcella wrote. “So it is our job to keep people excited and intense and bring our best game to these other teams.”
Tufts now turns toward the closing stretch of the regular season in a strong position. Tufts sits second in the NESCAC standings with 14 points, behind Williams’ 18, although Williams has played one more conference game. Tufts remains the only team without a conference loss.
Next comes Middlebury at Bello Field on Saturday at 11 a.m., when Tufts will celebrate Senior Day. The Panthers will enter with a 3–1–2 conference record, making the matchup another opportunity for the Jumbos to strengthen their position near the top of the standings.
After Middlebury, Tufts’ remaining conference games are road visits to Bates, Williams and Bowdoin, alongside home nonconference matches against Rivier and Bridgewater State. The Amherst and Hamilton wins give the Jumbos momentum heading into that stretch. Maintaining the attacking efficiency and defensive control they showed after halftime at Hamilton will be central to extending it.
