The story is starting to get repetitive for the women's soccer team - but in a good way.
With Saturday's 1-0 win over Amherst, the squad moved to 4-1 on the year, and as usual, the Tufts offense was fueled by a player who didn't suit up for a single game last season.
Back from an ACL injury that sidelined her for the entirety of 2006, sophomore Cara Cadigan has been a one-person scoring machine during all four of the Jumbos' wins in 2007, knocking in five of Tufts' seven goals, including the difference-maker this weekend.
Since scoring the winning goal in double overtime against Middlebury Sept. 15, Cadigan has recorded three unanswered goals in two consecutive games.
"Obviously she is a great asset to have on the team," senior Joelle Emery said. "She works really hard and gets into the positions where she needs to be. She has also had some great finishes."
Saturday was certainly no exception. Twenty minutes into the game, the sophomore forward headed a corner kick from senior co-captain Martha Furtek past Lord Jeff sophomore goalie Lili Ferguson. Even Amherst, which last season allowed the fewest goals per game in the NESCAC, could not neutralize Cadigan.
Not only was the league unprepared for Cadigan's offensive prowess, but her coach couldn't have possibly predicted this type of offensive explosion, especially coming off an injury.
"I didn't know what to expect," said coach Martha Whiting in an interview with the Daily after a Sept. 16 win over Carthage, in which Cadigan scored two goals. "She pretty much came back better than before. She's just as fast, she's just as quick, and I think her biggest strength is she's so composed. She gets the ball in tight spaces under a lot of pressure and she's completely unflustered."
Working out with the team in the offseason probably helped some. Cadigan tore her ACL during the spring of her senior year in high school, so by the time February and March rolled around, she was back at full force and practicing with her teammates.
Still, her ability to stand out on a team stacked with seasoned veterans is a tribute to her ability and maturity on the field. And with last year's offensive struggles, Cadigan's spark is surely welcomed. In its first three NESCAC games last season - against Colby, Middlebury and Amherst - the team only found the net three times and didn't win a single game.
"Cara is an amazing player," Furtek said. "Last year we outplayed a lot of teams, but we couldn't seem to put the ball in the back of the net. She does that for us."
This time around, however, Tufts has nabbed five goals and jumped out to 3-0 in the league - good for a first-place tie with Williams on the young season.
"Every win is big for us, especially early in the season," Emery said. "With three games in a row, I think we are starting to establish our name in the NESCAC and becoming a team to beat. It gives us a bit of an advantage when teams are looking out for us going into a game."
With Cadigan's play, it's easy to overlook Tufts' defense. But the squad has recorded two shutouts in a row and has allowed only one goal in its four wins this season. Although sophomore Kate Minnehan is adjusting to her role in goal, she has the support of a seasoned crew in front of her, including Emery, senior Julia Brown and senior co-captain Annie Benedict.
"Three of us in the back have been playing together for two years now, so we know each really well," Emery said. "We have the formation down so that if one of us gets burned, the other ones cover. Our experience in the back really shows."
Such experience should serve the squad well tomorrow when it plays Babson, a team Tufts beat 2-0 last year and 3-1 in 2005.
"We are feeling pretty strong and excited to play another good out of conference team," Cadigan said. "It will be another good challenge for us."
Right now, however, Tufts is just trying to ride the momentum generated from the last three victories.
"We feel really good and we would just like to keep our momentum going," Emery said. "It is always tougher to play a midweek game, but we will try to go into the game hard and pull out another win."
