The scoreboard at Kraft Field after the women's soccer match on Wednesday read like a defensive struggle: Tufts 1, Babson 0. But anyone who witnessed the Jumbos' offensive dominance of the Beavers would say that this match was far more lopsided than the goal difference indicates.
Hungry after last weekend's hard−fought draw with Wesleyan, Tufts out−shot Babson 31−5, including 14 shots on goal compared to Babson's one, which was brushed aside by Tufts sophomore keeper Phoebe Hanley. The Jumbos also dwarfed the Beavers in corner kicks 11−4.
"We definitely were the dominant team," junior forward Jamie Love−Nichols said. "We vastly out−shot them and we probably should have finished more opportunities than we did. In the first half, we did not come out as strongly as we should have, but we looked to pick things up in the second half."
After attempting nine more shots than Babson in the first 45 minutes, Tufts went into halftime frustratingly empty−handed. But 10 minutes into the second half, Love−Nichols struck the game's only goal, sending a through−ball from sophomore Sophie Wojtasinski just below the crossbar.
"We came into halftime knowing we should have scored already," senior co−captain Carrie Wilson said. "Those first 10 minutes of the second half are very important in coming out strong and that definitely played a role in scoring the goal when we did."
The Jumbos continued to mount the pressure and controlled the remaining 35 minutes of play. The team gave Hanley her easiest half of the season by allowing zero shots on goal. After 90 minutes of play, the Jumbos boasted a statistic that coaches can only dream of: 14 of their 31 shots were on goal.
Wednesday's offensive display has been the Jumbos' standard, as they have now out−shot each of the six opponents they have faced so far this season. This offensive spark is due in part to the wave of rookies that now dominate the roster. After graduating six seniors from the 2009 squad, the Jumbos welcomed 10 freshmen this fall in the hopes of building a solid foundation. The newcomers have welcomed the challenge, including freshman forward Maeve Stewart, who has scored three goals in her six starts and currently leads the team with six points.
Rookie goalkeeper Kristin Wright has made her mark as well, allowing only two goals in 264 minutes so far this year as she splits time with Hanley.
"All of the freshmen have this great energy each time they step onto the field," Wilson said. "It's great to still stay strong as a team even after losing six seniors."
To cap off a busy week, Tufts will take on Bates in Saturday's homecoming game. Tufts currently ranks fourth in the NESCAC behind Trinity, Williams and Amherst, but the team plans on carrying its momentum from Wednesday's victory through this coming week, when they will have a chance to improve their conference standing against NESCAC foe Colby.
"This year especially, the NESCAC is very close," Wilson said. "Each game could change the standings completely, so every single conference game is huge for us."
