Tufts women's basketball kicked off their conference play with a challenging trip up north to battle against two of the NESCAC’s top teams, the Bowdoin College Polar Bears and the Colby College Mules.
In an email to the Daily, graduate student guard Hannah Kelly reflected on the level of competition in the NESCAC conference.
“We’re fortunate to compete in one of the toughest conferences in our division, where every game brings a unique challenge,” Kelly said. “This is exactly the kind of environment we want to be in to grow and compete at our best.”
Both Bowdoin and Colby had established themselves as formidable opponents prior to conference play, setting the stage for an intense and competitive weekend of basketball.
On Friday, No. 5 Bowdoin extended their win streak to 12 games after a late run to solidify their victory against Tufts. Going into the weekend, Tufts was 9–4 and had not yet begun conference play. Friday’s game marked a NESCAC opening match-up for both teams.
On the Bowdoin Polar Bears’ home court inside Morrell Gymnasium, the Jumbos were one point away from tying the game with seven minutes remaining. However, Bowdoin’s 18–4 run allowed them to broaden their lead, resulting in a final score of 62–47.
Tufts hit the ground running from the first seconds of the game, leading with five points contributed by Kelly. Unfortunately, their lead was quickly contested by Bowdoin with the first quarter finishing at 15–12 in favor of the Polar Bears.
The Jumbos remained tenacious, out-scoring the Mules in the second quarter 14–12. Tufts took their biggest lead of the game by six points with five minutes and 14 seconds remaining in the quarter, after scoring the first eight points of the quarter. Once again, Bowdoin fought to retake the lead right before halftime with a lay-up by senior guard Sydney Jones that gave the Polar Bears a narrow lead at 27–26.
The game continued to be close throughout the third quarter, ending with Bowdoin in the lead at 40–36. In the final period, Bowdoin broadened the margin in order to come away victorious.
Kelly was the leading scorer for the Jumbos, providing a career high of 17 points. Senior guard Sofia Gonzalez added 11 points and four rebounds, while senior forward Caitlyn O’Boyle scored six points, with a career high and team high of 14 rebounds. Bowdoin’s Jones contributed a game-high 20 points.
The Jumbos continued conference play in Maine, facing the Colby College Mules on Saturday. Colby, previously 5–7, critically outscored Tufts in every aspect of the game to earn a 83–59 victory.
Kelly described the team’s goals heading into their game against Colby.
“On Saturday, we strove to execute our sets, play defense tailored to Colby’s personnel and focus on doing the intangibles,” Kelly said.
However, with junior forward Sarah Crossett and junior guard Annie Aspesi out of the game due to injuries, the team had to adjust to the absence of these two consistent key contributors.
Similar to Friday’s game, Tufts had an early lead which was eventually overpowered by Colby’s impeccable shooting percentage from the floor, 3-point range and free-throw line. Colby outscored Tufts in all four quarters, and made 28 out of 33 free throws.
The Jumbos made all 12 of their shots from the line; however, they only made 28% of their field goals compared to the Mules’ 52%.
Defense was the emphasis of the fourth quarter, as Tufts managed to hold Colby to 17 points, their lowest-scoring quarter. Despite Tufts’ unyielding effort, they were unable to catch up to Colby’s points.
Sophomore guard Stella Galanes came off the bench to lead Tufts with a team high of nine points. Kelly also contributed eight points and four rebounds. First-year guard Monet Witherspoon and O’Boyle led the team in rebounds, with six each.
The Mules were led by guard Kate Olenik, who scored a game high 22 points, along with six rebounds and five assists.
Kelly reflected on the result of the game.
“Although it wasn’t the outcome we wanted, I think that teams often learn more from losses than they do from wins,” Kelly said. “These games are excellent learning opportunities that will only serve us moving forward, as they enable us to recalibrate and continue NESCAC play stronger than before.”
Now with a record of 9–6 overall and 0–2 in the conference, Tufts will return to Medford for their first home conference game against Williams College in Cousens Gymnasium on Friday, Jan. 17. Williams is currently 10–4 and 1–1 in conference play, which will provide a challenge for the Jumbos. However, after six consecutive away games, the team is eager to play in front of their home crowd.
According to Kelly, Tufts will be focusing on their defense for this weekend’s games.
“We practice and pride ourselves on relentless defense and are excited to put it into action this weekend,” Kelly said. “Leaning into our respective roles and playing for each other will also help propel us forward.”
