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Soccer

The Setonian
Soccer

Women's Soccer | Offense goes cold, Jumbos fall to Brandeis

October 8

    Coming off of its best offensive performance of the season, the Tufts women's soccer team seemed primed to start off a four-game home stand with a victory over a reeling Brandeis team. But instead, the Jumbos walked off Kraft field yesterday with a frustrating 2-0 loss.     Brandeis came in on the heels of two straight one-goal losses, and had not beaten Tufts since 2004. The team's recent ineptitude dropped the Judges from No. 7 in the New England Regional Rankings to No. 9, allowing Tufts to assume its old spot at seventh. But the Jumbos, who split their two previous non-conference matchups this season, were unable to justify the rankings.     "We all came out of the game feeling like we could have, should have won," sophomore Laney Siegner said. "But sometimes it doesn't work out. We just need to reevaluate."     Though the Jumbos' offense looked lively early on, Brandeis struck the first blow in the 25th minute. Junior forward Tiffany Pacheco and sophomore midfielder Mimi Theodore, the Judges' two leading scorers, combined to push through what would stand as the winning goal. Pacheco sent a long shot from the right side that Tufts senior goalkeeper Kate Minnehan batted away directly to the waiting feet of Theodore, who rocketed it into the back of the net.     Tufts had its fair share of opportunities to equalize the game in both halves. With just over six minutes remaining in the first half, sophomore Alix Michael dribbled through the Brandeis defense and found classmate Jamie Love-Nichols, whose shot hit the left post.     It was not the only chance at the end of the half for Tufts, as Brandeis' senior goalkeeper Hilary Rosenzweig made a stop on junior Bailey Morgan's low shot in the final minute.     "Hitting the post is a frustrating part of the game," Michael said. "Instead of getting down, we just tried to keep pushing through. That is an aspect of the game you just have to learn to deal with."     The Jumbos threatened to knot the game once more in the 57th minute when junior defender Sarah Nolet drilled a shot from outside the box at the Judges' net. But the pipes denied Tufts once again as the blast ricocheted off the crossbar In all, Tufts managed just four second-half shots in its bid to tie the game.     "I don't think the shots were a very good indication of the flow of the game," Michael said. "We definitely had more opportunities than the shots would indicate. Their defense hunkered down and we couldn't get it in the back of the net. Sometimes it just doesn't happen."     "Obviously we got a little unlucky hitting the post and the crossbar, but that's soccer. Sometimes the best team doesn't always win, and that has been happening to us lately," Siegner added.     Brandeis put the game away with five minutes remaining, again in large part thanks to Theodore. The second-year helped orchestrate a run through the Tufts defense and found junior Sofia Vallone, whose shot from the 18-yard mark found the lower left corner of the Tufts net, pushing the final margin to 2-0.     The loss dropped the Jumbos back to .500 ahead of what very well could be the biggest stretch of the squad's season. Tufts will play three NESCAC games in a span of seven days beginning with tomorrow's homecoming clash against Colby. With all three contests at home, the Jumbos know that this is the time to solidify a spot in the top of the NESCAC standings, in which they currently rank fourth.     "Basically at practice [yesterday] no one was thinking about [Wednesday's game]," Siegner said. "Everyone was looking to Saturday ... This is our chance to make a statement and win three games in a row — which we have not done this season  — and solidify our place in the NESCAC."

The Setonian
Soccer

Women's Soccer | Jumbos fall behind early vs. Babson, can't recover

September 30

In Saturday's 1-0 victory over Wesleyan, senior forward Whitney Hardy scored what turned out to be the game's only goal in the first minute of play. In Tuesday night's match against Babson, the game would start the same way. The only difference was that this time, it was the Jumbos who were retrieving the ball from the back of their own net.

The Setonian
Soccer

Women's Soccer | Goals elusive as Jeffs hold off Jumbos

September 20

The Tufts women's soccer team won its first game of the season last Tuesday versus Keene State, but its first NESCAC victory has been more difficult to achieve. Another opportunity fell to the wayside on Saturday afternoon when nationally ranked No. 5 Amherst dashed the Jumbo's upset hopes 1-0.

The Setonian
Soccer

Women's Soccer | After Keene State, Jumbos prep for Amherst showdown

September 17

    After a crushing overtime loss to Middlebury last Saturday, the Tufts women's soccer team had to compose itself quickly as Keene State came to Medford on Tuesday afternoon. But with a 2-0 victory in that game, it is clear that the Jumbos have righted the ship before heading into another key conference battle.     The weekend should bring a tougher test for Tufts as Amherst, ranked No. 2 nationally in Div. III, comes to Kraft Field tomorrow afternoon.     "We really want to come out on top of the NESCACs and playing Amherst is a great test to see how well prepared we are," senior co-captain forward Cara Cadigan said.     But before this Saturday's contest with the Lord Jeffs, Tufts had business to settle with Keene State, which beat the Jumbos 5-4 last year. Defense was the key in Tuesday's game against the Owls, as Tufts was able to shut down a Keene State offense that had scored 20 goals in its first five games.     "Our defense really tightened up and played really well, especially compared with the Middlebury game," junior midfielder Geneva DeGregorio said.     After heading into halftime tied at zero, Tufts dominated play in the second half before finally breaking through with Cadigan's first goal of the season in the 81st minute. Six minutes later, senior forward Ali Maxwell iced the game with a bending ball placed beautifully on the back post. For Cadigan, it was a much-anticipated return to the scorer's book after an injury-plagued season last year.     "It was a great feeling," Cadigan said. "It's good to know that I can still score. And it was great to get a win after coming off such a tough loss."     In Tuesday's game, the box score did not do justice to the Jumbos' level of play on the field. Tufts dominated the field, keeping possession of the ball and appearing more comfortable to go forward than its opponents. Keene, on the other hand, failed to find a rhythm offensively and was outshot by Tufts 21-3. The Owls' offensive struggles can largely be credited to the excellent work of the Jumbos' backline.     "A big thing was that we outshot them 21-3," Cadigan said. "While we didn't get too many shots against Middlebury, we were really able to get the ball down the field in this game and get shots off."     With Keene State now in the rearview mirror, Tufts has its sights set on this weekend's matchup with rival Amherst. The Lord Jeffs, as always, field a strong team that expects to compete not only for a NESCAC title, but also in the NCAA tournament.     Amherst returns most of its offensive firepower from a year ago, led by reigning NESCAC Player of the Year senior tri-captain forward Meg Murphy, who scored 13 goals last year and has been First-Team All-NESCAC for all three years of her career at Amherst. Both Amherst forwards, juniors Kyla Woodhouse and Jackie Hirsch, are talented and dangerous, each with the ability to set up shots for themselves and for teammates.    "What makes Amherst good is that they're really solid at every position, they have a deep bench and they always come ready to play," DeGregorio said.     While Amherst has three new starters on defense, the team was impressive in its only match so far this season, which ended with a 3-0 victory over Bowdoin last Saturday. Cadigan believes the key to the game will be attacking Amherst's backline.     "It'll be a really tough game, but we should pull through if we generate enough offense against them because we didn't really test their defense last year," Cadigan said.     The Jumbos believe they can match Amherst at every position and are anxious for the chance to prove it, especially in front of what is expected to be a raucous crowd for Tufts' first NESCAC home game.     "It's going to be really intense. Our goal is to go undefeated on Kraft and we hope to do so," Cadigan said.     Tufts will try to replicate the results of Amherst's last visit to Medford, when the Jumbos, behind a Cadigan goal and a stout defense, took down the Lord Jeffs 1-0.     "It's simply a matter of playing our game and not letting them dictate how the game will be played," DeGregorio said. "We always come ready to play Amherst, but we can't treat them any differently."

The Setonian
Soccer

Women's Soccer | Jumbos, Cadigan eager for fresh start

September 7

    After a season of disarray that featured myriad injuries and a first-round exit in the NESCAC Tournament, the women's soccer team is ready to bounce back.     With a healthy squad in tow, the Jumbos have their sights set on improving from their 2008 season, in which they started out 5-0 but ended 8-5-1, thanks in part to a slew of injuries that, at its low point, forced a midfielder to play goalie. Assuming the Jumbos stay out of the trainer's office, they could very well compete for their second NESCAC championship and their third trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2005.     "We all need to stay healthy during the season," senior co-captain Cara Cadigan said. "We need to take care of ourselves, because it got to the point last year where people had to play through injuries. We want to make sure we do everything we can so we minimize those injuries that are preventable."     "We're really excited to get the season started after everything that happened last year," junior midfielder Geneva DeGregorio said. "Everyone came into preseason in great shape, and we've hit the ground running."     Having graduated just one senior, Tufts will rely on experience as an asset. Though only five players started every game last season, that allowed an unexpected handful of others to receive meaningful playing time. Every player that started a game in 2008 is set to return.     "Our experience is going to be really big for us," DeGregorio said. "We have so many players that can play in so many positions and have played them at this level. And when we go to the bench, there is no drop off. There is definitely a consistency in the talent level."     "We have a very deep bench," Cadigan added. "The way we play doesn't change, no matter who is in. We are constantly playing at our best because everyone is that good right now."     The backline, which limited opponents to just over one goal per game last year, will once again include junior defenders Audrey Almy and Sarah Nolet. Having started all but one game in her college career, Nolet was first-team All-NESCAC in 2008, and, at 6-foot-0, she controls the game in the air and on the ground.     The midfield features Tufts' other returning All-NESCAC selection, senior Fanna Gamal, who had two goals and three assists last year. Joining her in the midfield, among others, will be DeGregorio and sophomores Lauren O'Connor and Olivia Rowse, all players who made at least nine starts last year.     Ultimately, the Jumbos' fate will rest on the shoulders of Cadigan's comeback from an ACL injury. Two years ago, she took the NESCAC by storm, using blazing speed and a deft touch to score 19 goals and shatter the Tufts single-season mark. With Cadigan back on the field, the Jumbo attack is sure to be more dangerous.     "I feel ready to play," Cadigan said. "It feels good to be back on the field again."     Joining Cadigan up top will be senior Ali Maxwell, who led the team last year with five goals. Cadigan's absence forced Maxwell to take a more important role in the team's offensive schemes and often be the team's target player. Her presence means that Tufts has two proven, legitimate threats playing forward.     The Jumbos' season begins this Saturday with a trip to Middlebury to face the Panthers, who beat Tufts 3-1 last year.     "We're ready to go up there and have a challenge for our first game," DeGregorio said. "We had a tough time up there last year, and we definitely are looking forward to getting a better result."     But, as is usually the case, Amherst and Williams will be Tufts' two biggest in-conference competitors this season. The Ephs are the two-time defending NESCAC champions, while the Jeffs finished second in both the regular season and tournament play.     "Amherst and Williams are always going to be very tough, but I think our team is definitely good enough to compete and beat them," DeGregorio said.

The Setonian
Soccer

Women's Soccer Wrap Up | Promising season ends prematurely as Jumbos battle injuries

November 6

It was a year filled with adversity for the women's soccer team. A season that started out with great expectations — including hopes of reaching the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season — but was derailed by injuries came to an end Sunday, when the Jumbos fell 4-2 on penalty kicks to Bowdoin after playing to a 0-0 stalemate in a dismal first round of the NESCAC Tournament.

The Setonian
Soccer

Womens Soccer | Owl offense keen as it swoops past injury-riddled Jumbos, 5-4

October 15

    After the women's soccer team's six-game shutout winning streak came to a close with a loss to Amherst on Oct. 4, the Jumbos were hoping they could start it up again when they recorded a 1-0 victory at Brandeis three days later.     Now, the Jumbos are on another streak — but this one, a two-game losing slide, isn't exactly what they had in mind.     After a handful of injuries to key players over the course of the last week left the Jumbo roster tattered for Tuesday's matchup with the non-conference Keene State Owls, Tufts suffered its third loss of the season, 5-4, after a pair of early second-half goals put Keene State ahead for good.     Tufts was playing short-handed, as four players were sidelined for the contest. Among them were the reigning NESCAC Rookie of the Year, junior tri-captain Cara Cadigan, who will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL, and starting junior goalkeeper Kate Minnehan, whose return this year is questionable after she fractured her hand in Saturday's showdown with Middlebury.     Sophomore goalkeeper Hannah Jacobs started against Keene State after sustaining a rib injury shortly after Minnehan's exit on Saturday, but she was forced to leave the game after in the 36th minute.     "She was still hurting," senior tri-captain Maya Shoham said. "She wasn't playing to her potential, so instead of making it worse, she came out so that hopefully she can go on Saturday."     The Jumbos, however, have managed to look past the obvious setbacks, and they arrived in Keene, N.H. Tuesday looking for the victory.     "Everyone is really positive," junior Ali Maxwell said. "Even though we've had injuries, the people that are healthy have really stepped up. We're still the same team, and we're still going out there trying to win."     But beyond the final score, the game was a promising one for the Jumbos, who posted their highest offensive output of the season and outshot the Owls 25-11 despite the absence of Cadigan, who led the squad last year with a school record-breaking 19 goals.     "It's always a reinforcement that we can score without Cara," junior tri-captain Whitney Hardy said. "Some of the freshmen are starting to really step up. It's really nice to feel like we can score goals and have a lot of shots."     "It was nice to finally have everything clicking and to be able to move the ball and see some results score-wise," Maxwell said. "That was definitely a really positive aspect of the game."     Tufts' offensive success came in large part from the performance of freshman Jamie Love-Nichols, who scored two first-half goals to give her a team-high four on the season. Love-Nichols combined with Hardy, who chipped in with a tally at the 29:48 mark on a feed from sophomore Audrey Almy, to put the Jumbos up 3-1.     "[Love-Nichols] is really playing well," Shoham said. "She's possessing the ball and taking quick shots. She has a rocket for a shot, and she's taking shots from all over and making them count."     But the Owls came right back, countering with two quick goals of their own to tie the score at three apiece going into the half. Senior midfielder Michelle Boland shot her second goal of the game by Jacobs, who left the game just two minutes later. She was replaced by senior Alissa Brandon, who was called up from the JV squad after Saturday's injuries.     Despite a solid effort from Brandon, Owls freshman Sam Saltalamaccia beat her just three minutes later for Keene State's third goal.     But ultimately it was the two second-half scores for the Owls — the first from freshman Bridget Hennessey and the second from Boland to give her a hat trick — that did the Jumbos in.     "They didn't really have many shots, but both the goals they scored in the second half came pretty early," Hardy said. "We didn't get pressure on early enough, [and] they were just kind of surprising quick shots from pretty far out that we couldn't really do anything about."     Thanks to Keene State senior goalkeeper Samantha Hirsh, who made eight saves in the game, Tufts did not score until the 84th minute, when sophomore Bailey Morgan came off the bench to fire her first goal of the season.     "It's definitely great having so many people get involved in the scoring," Maxwell said. "It really makes us a more dangerous team. I think it's really nice to have such a deep bench, especially in the games when people are getting tired to know you have people who can come in and step up and get the job done. They've been doing a great job for us all year."     Unfortunately for the Jumbos, the goal from Morgan was not enough to spark a late-game comeback, and with the loss the team dropped to 6-3 overall. With a 3-2 NESCAC record —  which places Tufts fifth in the conference standings — the squad now faces back-to-back games this weekend against league foes in nationally ranked No. 1 Williams Saturday and Wesleyan on Sunday.     "Obviously we're expecting [Williams] to play really good, balanced soccer and be really dangerous on the counter-attack," Maxwell said. "That's probably their biggest weapon."     "We'll probably work on defending and playing possession and just refocusing on the game," Shoham said. "We can play a lot better than we've been playing."

The Setonian
Soccer

Women's Soccer | Panthers upend Jumbos

October 13

When midfielder Maya Shoham took the goal last week in practice, she never imagined she'd find herself back there during Saturday's battle with NESCAC foe Middlebury.

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