On Saturday, No. 2 Tufts took on No. 5 Colby College at home on Bello Field. Both teams came onto the field undefeated. Despite having a slower start than usual, the Jumbos were able to extend their now nine-game win streak, their dominance in Division III lacrosse remaining untouchable.
In an email to the Daily, junior attacker Allie Zorn wrote, “We’ve been really active in the ride which has gotten us a lot of opportunities back and of course, Genna Gibbons has been giving us so much possession from the draw — it makes our lives on offense much easier.”
Indeed, the crucial aspects of the game were Tufts’ merciless midfield ride, which wreaked havoc for Colby’s transitions upfield, and senior midfielder Genna Gibbons’ domination on the draw control, winning 11 draw controls. Colby’s discipline struggled as they collected three green cards and two yellow cards throughout the four quarters.
Two minutes and 29 seconds in, Colby’s senior attacker Gennie Littlejohn scored the first goal of the game with an assist by sophomore attacker Tate Ban, forcing Tufts to play catchup and search for a quick goal in response. In less than two minutes, Tufts was able to do just that as Allie Zorn passed to a wide-open senior midfielder Ella Lesperance on the crease. Lesperance expertly got the ball around the goalie to match Colby's score.
The Jumbos allowed the Mules one more goal before going on a 5–0 run that extended into the second quarter. Now, playing more like themselves, Tufts dominated possession. By the end of the first quarter, graduate student midfielder Emma Joyce and sophomore midfielder Grace Hammond had two goals each, bringing the Jumbos a 5–2 lead.
In the second frame, the Mules were able to put in three more goals, however, it was never enough to catch up to the unrelenting Jumbos. Tufts continued to steamroll ahead, scoring their own four goals and finishing the half 9–5.
By halftime, Tufts’ leading scorers Allie Zorn and senior attacker Margie Carden had yet to score; however, the depth of the Jumbos’ offense and midfield was unphased. Five Jumbos had scored, and four of them had two goals each, showing the depth of talent on this squad.
“We wanted to play fast, test our matchups, and push the ball all over the field, which we definitely did really well. I think our middies really lead the way in dictating pace and putting the ball in the back of the net, especially Grace Hammond who got us going early on,” said Zorn.
On the defensive end, the Jumbos’ defense had prevented the Mules’ leading shot taker, senior midfielder Julia Jardina, from shooting.
Tufts’ defense persisted, having a shut-out third quarter, allowing only one shot on goal. Tufts put in three goals during the quarter, contributed by graduate student midfielder Madeline Delaney, freshman midfielder Neta Leschly and Carden. With the score now at 12–5, the Jumbo victory seemed secured; Tufts never slowed down or relented. This unyielding mindset is very characteristic of the Jumbo squad, who has dominated each of their opponents, winning every game by at least ten goals.
The final quarter was no different for the Jumbos. One minute into the quarter, Allie Zorn saw her first goal of the game. This was not enough for Zorn, who scored two more goals to get a hat trick within the first seven minutes of the quarter.
Tufts hit a ten-goal lead with 12 minutes and 30 seconds remaining in the quarter after a perfectly executed trail check by sophomore attacker Sophia Claps got the ball back, leading to Zorn’s second goal. Going into a top-five matchup between two undefeated and successful teams, a 10-point lead was unexpected.
Jardina finally got the ball in the back of the net with one minute remaining in the game, providing the Mules’ lone goal in the second half. Unfortunately for Colby, this was not enough to spark a last-minute run to close Tufts’ lead.
Ten players contributed to Tufts’ 17 goals. Delaney and Zorn led with three goals each. Zorn also had two assists to lead the team with a total of 5 points. Delaney won five draw controls to contribute to Tufts’ possession domination. In addition to her goal, Carden had three assists and two ground balls. Lesperance had two assists on top of her two goals. Senior goalie Pascale de Buren had three saves.
Saturday’s matchup was dedicated to Morgan’s Message, honoring a lacrosse player at Duke who lost her battle to anxiety and depression in 2019. Morgan’s Message works to eliminate the stigma around mental health in the student-athlete community, reminding players that they are human first and encouraging them to check on their teammates.
Tufts remains second in the division as Middlebury persistently dominates at No. 1. These two powerhouse teams will play on April 12 in what is sure to be a nail-biting matchup. In the meantime, Tufts will face Williams College on the road on April 2 and Wesleyan University at home on April 5.
