With only one loss on the season and boasting a six-game winning streak, the women's soccer team has had several impressive victories to be proud of this season. But it wasn't until Saturday's 4-1 Homecoming win over Bowdoin that the team was finally satisfied with its play over the course of a full game.
Putting forth arguably their strongest performance of the year, the Jumbos launched a four-goal attack and played with solid intensity and focus to take down the Bowdoin Polar Bears and move to 5-0 in NESCAC play.
"It was an amazing feeling, not only because we won, but also because we played so well," senior co-captain Martha Furtek said. "Everyone agreed that Saturday was the first time we played consistently well the entire game. We let up a goal, but it was not because the intensity was not there."
"Everything really came together on Saturday," sophomore Cara Cadigan added. "We had great transitions from offense to defense and we were checking to the ball well."
The Jumbos came out of the gate attacking as they have throughout the year, and they got on the scoreboard early. In the 12th minute, senior Lauren Fedore out-battled the Polar Bear defenders and headed home a free kick from senior Jessie Wagner. Fedore's goal was her second of the season, but it came from a new position this time around.
"Lauren has been playing center forward and she got moved to the outside, but she adjusted really well," Furtek said. "She was getting up and down the field and did well getting back."
In the 27th minute, Cadigan, the league's leading scorer, baffled the Bowdoin defense as she got the ball at midfield, single-handedly beating two defenders and then the goalie to put Tufts up 2-0.
The Jumbos continued to press in the second half, with Furtek taking over to pick apart the Bowdoin defense on the way to her third goal of the season. After getting the ball from Fedore, she proceeded to beat three defenders and then fire a shot from 25 yards out past Bowdoin senior goalkeeper Kat Popoff.
"I was marked by a few girls," Furtek said. "I didn't really have any option but to shoot."
Riding a three-goal lead, Tufts allowed its only goal of the afternoon on an own-goal. A Bowdoin free kick deflected off of one of the Jumbos and into the net to mar an otherwise-solid defensive effort from the Jumbo squad, which buckled down after letting up a season-high three goals in last Wednesday's duel with non-conference Brandeis.
"In the defense, we were working on stepping up more quickly," senior defender Joelle Emery said. "The backs did a great job pressing and winning balls in the midfield."
"[Bowdoin] definitely had some very talented players, but because we played together as a team, they never really had a chance to build any offense," Furtek added.
With the game still comfortably in the hands of the Jumbos, freshman forward Geneva DeGregorio put the final nail in the Polar Bear coffin with a one-touch finish off a cross by Cadigan in the 88th minute. The assist lifted Cadigan to 10 goals and four assists on the year, keeping her far and away in first place in the NESCAC point standings with 24.
Overall, the Jumbos were more than happy with the effort and glad to have finally put together two solid periods.
"It was pretty much the best full game we have played, as we came out strong and just wanted it more than they did," Emery added. "I think we need to take every game like we did on Saturday and play our game for a full 90 minutes."
Tufts looks to stay focused and carry its momentum down to Middletown, Conn. this afternoon as it takes on Wesleyan in NESCAC competition for one of its last midweek games of the season. The Cardinals are 2-7, but each of their losses has been by a single goal.
"We need to bring what we did against Bowdoin into the Wesleyan game," Cadigan said. "In the beginning of the season, we had some trouble with midweek games, but hopefully we can utilize our game Saturday and come out with intensity."
"I think the biggest thing is not letting up," Furtek added. "Having a good record early on, it is easy to rest on it, but we need to keep in mind that every team we face will be strong."
