In the 2006 version of tomorrow's Homecoming game, the Bowdoin Polar Bears hobbled to an early one-goal deficit and dropped their fifth game in a row.
Although the Jumbos still have the upper hand this time around after having won six straight, Bowdoin is a much more formidable opponent in 2007.
The Polar Bears are 6-2 overall and are coming off of two consecutive wins, one of which came against the defending NESCAC champion Middlebury Panthers on Sept. 30. And although Bowdoin has not beaten Tufts since 2003, the Jumbos know they can't be complacent. The two squared off in a preseason scrimmage, and Bowdoin showed it's ready to be among the league leaders this season.
"Bowdoin is a great team that we struggled against in the preseason, so we are anxious to get back at them," freshman Sarah Nolet said. "As always, we have been working hard at practice to improve on what we deem necessary from previous games. This week's focus has been keeping possession and coming out hard."
After a 4-3 win over Brandeis that was a bit closer than anticipated, Tufts will put special emphasis on a defense that surrendered three consecutive goals in the middle of the first half against the Judges. The three goals nearly doubled the team's total for the season.
Still, the squad is confident Wednesday was an aberration rather than the norm.
"The defense, including our keeper, has been absolutely stellar," coach Martha Whiting wrote in an e-mail to the Daily. "We have a great group back there who work very well together. They are tough and athletic and are doing a great job."
Certainly, the core of seniors Joelle Emery, Julia Brown and co-captain Annie Benedict has been nearly impenetrable in the backfield, but after Wednesday's minor first-half stumble, they'll be looking to get back on track.
Tufts will hope to build on its performance in the second half, when it finally buckled down and prevented the Judges from putting anything on the scoreboard after the scoring barrage in the first.
"Our defense seriously stepped up and got on their forwards' backs [in the second half], not allowing them to turn or shoot," senior Lauren Fedore wrote in an e-mail to the Daily. "Offensively, we utilized our wing players who generated a lot of great opportunities."
Of course, the offense has been the story of the 2007 season thus far. With the NESCAC's leading scorer, sophomore Cara Cadigan, turning in an average of more than one goal per game, the Jumbos have had no shortage of offensive fireworks.
"She has a fantastic supporting cast around her," Whiting said. "However, who knows where the team would be without Cadigan's fantastic overall play?"
The team may have to spread the wealth on offense as opponents begin to isolate Cadigan in an effort to neutralize her offensive prowess. But with so many other seasoned forwards, the team is not too concerned.
"Opponents are looking out for her, because she's having such an explosive season," Emery said. "But that's the great thing about our team: If a team is taking her off the field, all of our forwards are capable of scoring. Martha scored today; Lauren scored today. Cara is able to lay the ball off to other forwards."
Indeed, as senior co-captain Martha Furtek proved on Wednesday, Cadigan is not the only player with a flare for the dramatic. With less than two minutes to play, Furtek notched the game-winning goal to clinch her team's seventh victory of the season.
Although Tufts would have preferred to avoid such drama, a win is a win, and with three straight games against NESCAC opponents looming on the October schedule, the Jumbos will take what they can get.
If anything, the Brandeis game reminded the team that staying on top is no easy task. The Jumbos have won all but one of their games this season, but if they want to keep their flawless conference record intact, they'll have to avoid spurts like Wednesday's first half.
"We need to come out with great intensity from the beginning," Whiting said. "We have tended to come out a little flat in the first half of games this year. If we commit to starting strong and maintaining that intensity for the entire game, then we should be fine."
Carly Helfand contributed reporting to this article.
