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Soccer

Women's Soccer | Shorthanded Jumbos victorious over Wheaton

September 15

On paper, things did not look good for the Women's soccer team heading into Wednesday's afternoon bout against Wheaton College. The Jumbos were coming off a shaky 2-0 loss against Colby in their opener and were facing a team ranked first in New England and 13th nationally. The Lyons soundly beat Tufts 2-0 last season. Three key injuries left the Jumbos entering the competition with only 14 players and three substitutes. Come game time the Jumbos showed those statistics didn't matter, squeaking out a 3-2 victory over the Lyons in front of a rowdy crowd at Kraft Field. "My heart is still pounding out of my chest," coach Martha Whiting said after the game. "With as many injuries as we had, we just had to keep getting players in and out - don't ask me how we did it." "Today was the most fun I've had since winning NESCAC's freshman year," senior tri-captain Ariel Samuelson added. "We basically just ruined their season." Things did not look promising early in the match. Wheaton sophomore Jenna Rabesa gave the Lyons an early 1-0 lead at the 15 minute mark when she took a cross from classmate Lauren Konopka and scored her second goal of the year. Tufts started to control the ball 25 minutes into the game, keeping it far in the Wheaton zone. With 59 seconds remaining in the first half, the Jumbos finally broke through. Senior tri-captain Sarah Callaghan took a perfect pass from Samuelson and her long, lofted shot found the top of the net to tie it up going into the half. "The first goal was huge," Whiting said. "It gave us a huge confidence boost, and we headed into halftime with some real hope." Samuelson agreed. "I think we still had some momentum heading into the half even without the goal, but it was still big because it showed that we could play with them," she said. "We knew that once we went up on them, we would sink them." The team came out hungry after the break and took its first lead soon after as senior tri-captain Lindsay Garmirian took a deflected shot by Samuelson and snuck it past Wheaton sophomore keeper Stacey Kronenberg about 12 minutes into the second half. The Lyons came right back after the Garmirian goal and with one of their own. Sophomore Julie McLane, assisted by Konopka and sophomore Ashley Furr, scored to tie the game at two. This set the stage for sophomore Joelle Emery's first collegiate goal. With 20 minutes left in the contest, the defender launched a direct kick from over 30 yards over the outstretched arms of Kronenberg and into the northeast goal, giving the Jumbos a 3-2 lead they would not relinquish. "The goalie had the sun in her face and I knew she couldn't see anything," Emery said of the situation. "I was just trying to put the ball up around the net and hope someone could put it in." The game got considerably more physical as Wheaton scrambled for a tie as time wound down. Samuelson was taken down hard twice. Tufts was able to hold off several late charges thanks in large part to the play of the team's first-year players. Freshmen Maya Shoham, Ali Mehlsak and Genevieve Citrin, and sophomores Julia Brown and Jessie Wagner were able to quickly get over early season jitters and secure the win. The victory evened the Jumbos' record to 1-1 and dropped the Lyons to 3-3. It was Wheaton's first loss against a New England opponent since 2001. "We went into the game treating them like any other team," Whiting said. "We prepare for every team with the same intensity, and I think that really helped us." In earning her first victory, junior keeper Annie Ross made seven saves, including a deflection as she collided with an onrushing Lyon in the closing seconds. "I'm feeling pretty good right now, though I can never be totally satisfied with myself," Ross said. "But that's what makes me work harder. It was really important to get this first win, and our confidence is immeasurable right now." Injuries continue to plague the Jumbos. Sophomore Lauren Fedore (concussion), senior Lydia Claudio (ankle), and junior Jen Fratto (back) were all held out of action Wednesday. The team would them back on the field soon. "At halftime we were all dying, but luckily we were having fun in the second half and didn't feel as tired," Samuelson said. "Once we're a full team I think we're going to be very hard to beat."

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Soccer

Women's Soccer | Jumbos kicked around by Mules

September 11

Early season jitters got the best of the Women's soccer team Saturday afternoon as the team fell 2-0 to the White Mules of Colby in the opening game of the 2005 season. The loss continued Tufts' poor showing streak against the Mules in recent seasons, with the Jumbos tallying just one victory over Colby in the past five years. "As individuals, no one played badly," senior co-captain Sarah Callaghan said. "Everyone played hard, but as a team, we didn't click together on anything. The whole team needs to play defense and the whole team needs to play offense." Colby junior forward Laura Williamson put the Mules on the board early, heading a pass from senior co-captain Katie McCabe past Tufts junior keeper Annie Ross. Colby tacked on an insurance goal late in the second half when open junior Liz Morbeck took a cross from Williamson and sent the ball past Ross to make it 2-0. Tufts, in similar fashion to previous seasons, was able to keep good pressure on the opposing defense, but was unable to finish its shots and put the ball past the keeper. The Jumbos out-shot the Mules 14 to 11, and had six corner kicks to Colby's three, yet were still unable to sneak anything past junior keeper Liza Benson. Benson ended up with 11 saves in the shutout, while Ross tallied six in the loss. Injuries should not serve as an excuse, but they didn't exactly help the Jumbos, whose seven new players were forced to take an increased role in what, for many of them, was their first collegiate soccer game. Junior center fullback Jen Fratto, the anchor of the back four, was sidelined with stress fractures in her back. Senior center midfielder Lydia Claudio, who has been plagued by injuries for the past three seasons, sprained her ankle in practice on Friday and was unable to compete. During the game, sophomore forward Lauren Fedore banged heads with a Colby player, suffering a severe grade three concussion that forced her to the bench. Because of these injuries, all 19 members of Coach Martha Whiting's squad saw action on Saturday. Freshman Maya Shoham got the start in the center midfield in place of Claudio, while sophomore Jessie Wagner, playing in her first game as a Jumbo since transferring from Bates, opened the game at fullback, along with classmates Anne Benedict and Joelle Emery and senior Cate Meeker. The silver lining to the loss came from the fact that the squad has only been practicing together for a week. "The new players did well, and I'm sure some of them played more than they had imagined in their first game," Callaghan said. "It was our first game and it was frustrating, but since it was our first game, we have time to figure out things to work on." The Jumbos will continue to focus on getting used to each other as teammates as the players learn each other's styles and preferences on the field. With such a large group of newcomers, that certainly will pose a challenge. "We need to find some kind of spark to get us going," Callaghan said. "Maybe go really hard at each other in practice, just to get us fired up and working together as one unit." Tufts doesn't have much time, however, as the squad gears up to face regional powerhouse Wheaton College in non-conference action on Wednesday, followed by NESCAC foes Middlebury and Amherst on consecutive Saturdays. All three games, however, are at home, where the Jumbos will hope to have the luck of Kraft Field on their side. Tufts has only played Wheaton, who is ranked third in the country, twice in the past four years, with mixed results. The Jumbos fell 2-0 to the Lyons early last season and defeated them 3-1 in 2000 in the NCAA Regional Final, en route to their National Championship berth.

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Soccer

Women's Soccer | Mid-season turnaround makes for successful run

November 3

The season came to a disappointingly early end for the Tufts women's soccer team last Saturday in the first round of the NESCAC playoffs. The Jumbos, seeded third, were upset by sixth-seeded Williams, 1-0.

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Soccer

Women's Soccer: Unbeaten streak, season end with missed chances

October 31

Sometimes in sports, the team that controls the game doesn't always come out on top. Unfortunately for the women's soccer team, that time was yesterday. The favored Jumbos were ousted in the first round the NESCAC playoff tournament for the second straight year, this time at the hands of the sixth seeded Williams College Ephs, 1-0, at Kraft Field yesterday afternoon. The Jumbos finish the season 7-4-3 overall, with a 5-2-3 conference mark. The loss ends the careers of Tufts' seven seniors, co-captains Becky Greenstein and Sarah Gelb, and classmates Alina Schmidt, Meg McCourt, Catherine Benedict, Jen Baldwin and Jess Gluck. "They have to hang their heads high," coach Martha Whiting said. "Every single one of them stepped up today and played extremely well. We felt we were the better team and we controlled more of the game, and it's hard because we didn't come out on top." "We came out confident today and knew what we wanted to do," Gelb said. "This is an amazing team and today it just didn't go our way, but everyone played their hearts out, and that's all we can ask." The Jumbos came out flying at the start of the game, perhaps with a bit too much energy. Williams was able to control the ball in the Jumbos zone early, but was unable to get any solid shots on the Tufts goal. The Ephs early pressure paid off in the eighth minute of the contest. A Williams shot from the left flank was batted away by a leaping McCourt in goal and recovered by Williams sophomore Alix Oliver. Oliver controlled the ball and sent it into the middle of the field to senior leading scorer Lindsay Dwyer. Dwyer punched a virtually perfect shot into the corner of the net to put the Ephs on the board first. "They came out much stronger than we did," Greenstein said. "We counteracted them, but sometimes the better team just doesn't win. That's soccer." To its credit, Tufts settled down after the goal and started playing its brand of soccer. The Jumbos kept the ball on the offensive side of the field for the rest of the half, only allowing the Ephs three more shots over the next 40 minutes. The Jumbos notched 13 shots in that time frame, but were unable to capitalize on any of their opportunities. One of the best chances came with five minutes remaining in the first half, when junior Sarah Callaghan sent a high ball over the Williams defense to a wide-open sophomore Kim Harrington. As Harrington tried to gain control, the ball ricocheted off her forearm and possession was awarded back to Williams. The two teams played out the half and went into intermission with Williams still holding a 1-0 edge. At halftime, the Jumbos knew they were playing well but needed to start capitalizing on their opportunities. Those opportunities kept coming in the second, with perhaps the best one of the game coming off the foot of Callaghan 17 minutes into the second. The junior fought for possession off a failed Williams clearance and sent a laser from 25 yards out that ricocheted off leaping sophomore goalie Sarah Ginsburg and then off the top crossbar before being cleared by the Eph defense. The Jumbos were awarded six corner kicks in the second frame, but Williams, playing a defensive-minded game in the second half, was able to thwart all of Tufts' opportunities. The Jumbos had several final chances: with six minutes to play a Greenstein free kick sailed over the goal, and then with 1:30 remaining Ginsburg fell on a loose ball in the box just before Baldwin closed in. As time expired, the Ephs celebrated while the Jumbos, in a complete state of disbelief, saw their season come to an end. "As a team, we knew what we needed to do to get this done," Greenstein said. "We had many more opportunities throughout the game, but soccer is part luck and we just didn't have that today." "Soccer sometimes is an unfair game," junior Ariel Samuelson added. "Sometimes you just don't win no matter how hard you play. I guess today just wasn't our day." The Jumbos certainly came into the game with momentum, having beaten the Connecticut College Camels 2-0 on Saturday afternoon in the team's final regular season game. Junior Ariel Samuelson led the Jumbo charge, scoring both of the team's goals to finish the year as Tufts' leading scorer with four goals. McCourt earned her fourth shutout of the season with the win. With the win over Tufts, Williams moves on to the NESCAC semifinals where they will face Bowdoin next weekend, while Tufts' season ends and the Jumbo underclassmen can only look to next year.

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Soccer

Women's Soccer: Tufts prepares for NESCAC playoffs

October 28

The women's soccer team will try to wrap up its regular season on a strong note Saturday at home against Connecticut College. The NESCAC playoffs begin Sunday, so the Jumbos will not have much time to rest before they turnaround and play the first round. The Camels will be playing for their playoff lives as they go into their final game tied for seventh place with Trinity. The top seven teams from the NESCAC will qualify for the playoffs. Fortunately for Conn; should the two teams end up in a tie, the Camels hold the tiebreaker since they won the head-to-head match up earlier this year. The Jumbos, who currently sit in third place in the league with a 4-1-3 record, are coming off a 2-2 double overtime tie against Williams last Saturday. Tufts took an early 2-0 lead going into the second half, but the Ephs battled back to force the draw. "I guess it was disappointing not to win after being up two goals," coach Martha Whiting said. "But there were parts of the game where we played really well. You have to give Williams credit for coming back because it was a game they had to have." The game is in the past, however, and the team is looking ahead. "We will approach Saturday as any other game," Whiting said. "We will play our same game, only it's against a different team. We just need to play smart and play hard." This attitude has led to great success lately. Tufts has not lost since Oct. 5, approaching every game the same way, regardless of the team. The Jumbos go into the weekend playing their best soccer of the year at the right time. If the playoffs started today, the Jumbos would be facing Bowdoin at home, a team Tufts has already beaten this year. However, depending on what happens this weekend, things could get dicey. If Tufts beats Conn. College and Amherst loses to Williams, Tufts and Amherst would be tied for second with identical records. Through a series of tiebreakers, it appears that the Jumbos would get the edge over the Lord Jeffs with a 4-1-2 record against the top eight teams in the conference, compared to Amherst's 3-1-3. If this scenario plays and Trinity loses its game, Conn. College would secure the seventh spot even if it loses. Sunday would then be a rematch of Saturday's contest as Tufts would once again host the Camels. Regardless of what happens Saturday, however, Tufts will be playing a home playoff game Sunday, something that seemed very improbable a month ago. The Jumbos were winless through their first four games and the offense was nearly nonexistent. The turnaround came at the Homecoming game when the team notched its first win of the season. Since that point, Tufts is 6-1-1, its only loss coming in non-league action against Brandeis. Whiting said the feeling of how far this team has come is unbelievable. "Before the season, the team had an expectation of success," she said. "After the shaky start, it was tough to tell where we were going to end up. We really kept focused and worked hard, though, and it is very exciting to be at home on Sunday." The players will try to keep the playoffs out of their minds during Saturday's game. Yet while the game is important and will be treated the same way as any other, the team will do all it can to stay healthy and fresh for Sunday. "The girls won't hold anything back," said Whiting. "But I don't want people getting too worn down for Sunday. Hopefully we can come out hard, get an early lead and have the luxury of resting some players." The year has been a rollercoaster ride for this Tufts team. Sunday, however, will be a new season, and the Jumbos will try to put it all together to make a strong showing in the NESCAC playoffs. Both players and coaches know that if the team plays its brand of soccer,.it could be playing next weekend for the NESCAC title.

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Soccer

Women's Soccer | Williams escapes Kraft with 2-2 tie

October 24

The women's soccer team came into Saturday's Parents Weekend contest in the midst of a five game unbeaten streak in the NESCAC. The squad did not disappoint the numerous fans in the stands, extending the streak to six straight games by fighting to a 2-2 double overtime tie with the Williams College Ephs at Kraft Field. "We had moments when we played our best soccer today, but there were also times when we were just standing there watching them," said senior co-captain Sarah Gelb, who was in the lineup after missing two games with an ankle sprain. "We played really well in the first half but unfortunately we came out flat in the second and they took advantage." The tie pushed the Jumbos' record to 6-3-3 overall, including a 4-1-3 record in NESCAC play. It kept the squad in third place in the conference, just one game back of Amherst and one and a half behind Middlebury with one to play. A win over Connecticuit College next Saturday, coupled with an Amherst loss to Williams, would put Tufts in position to overtake the Amherst Jeffs as the second seed in the conference when the playoffs begin next Sunday. The Jumbos also secured a top four seed in the NESCAC tournament, meaning they will host a first round playoff game on Sunday. "We really focused on not getting beaten at Kraft [Field]," Gelb said. "We're still undefeated at home, and we're in fine shape in the NESCAC heading into the playoffs." Tufts, clearly energized by the home crowd, came out firing to start the game. The Jumbos gave the fans something to cheer about early when in just the third minute of play, freshman center midfielder Martha Furtek bent a corner kick over Ephs sophomore goalkeeper Abby Taylor to put Tufts up 1-0. The goal was Furtek's third of the season, tying her for the team lead in goals (three) and points (eight) with junior Sarah Callaghan. Williams seemed to be demoralized by the goal and suffered a loss in intensity for the next ten minutes, a problem the Jumbos themselves faced earlier in the season. Tufts capitalized on Williams' lethargy, giving itself a two-goal cushion just eight minutes later. With 10:12 elapsed in the first frame, senior co-captain Becky Greenstein lofted a free kick through the Williams defense and found the head of junior Ariel Samuelson. Samuelson did not disappoint, heading the ball to the near post past Taylor for her second goal of the season. "I think we surprised ourselves by scoring those two goals really quickly," Callaghan said. "We went out really hard, and then it was like we had used up all our adrenaline and just couldn't keep that up for the rest of the game." The Jumbos continued to fight hard through the half, earning numerous chances deep in the Williams zone. Tufts, however, was unable to complete any of those opportunities and went into halftime sporting a 2-0 lead. At halftime, coach Martha Whiting stressed the importance of not letting up the intensity, keeping sharp for the entire 90 minutes, and playing like the game was tied at zero. "She told us to keep up the intensity and not let them gain any momentum by scoring any goals," Gelb said. "We wanted to transition better from defense to offense," Callaghan said, "and step it up and put a few more goals in." The midgame break didn't seem to work in the Jumbos favor, however, as Williams' senior forward and leading scorer Lindsay Dwyer added to her already impressive season just 49 seconds into the half, tallying her seventh goal of the 2004 campaign on an assist from sophomore defender Jessica Hing. The Jumbos settled down after Williams got within one, playing essentially even soccer with the Ephs, though still not looking as sharp as they did in the first frame. The Ephs, like any good team does, took advantage of the slip in intensity on the part of Tufts and evened the score at two 19 minutes later. Sophomore midfielder Alix Oliver sent a through ball in the air that senior Brittany Esty, the team's second leading scorer with five goals and one assist, headed into the goal just out of the reach of Tufts' senior keeper Meg McCourt. Both squads seemed to settle down after the goal, with each getting a few offensive chances but mainly staying back on defense to prevent any late scores. The teams fought through two overtimes, with both McCourt and Taylor holding their own in their respective nets to keep things even until the final buzzer. The Jumbos outshot Williams 26 to 18 on the afternoon, with the Ephs having a slight edge in corner kicks, eight to seven. The Jumbos will face off against Conn. College next Saturday in their final game of the regular season. Having no midweek contest this week will allow the squad to fully heal any injuries for the game and the ensuing playoff push. The Jumbos will look to stay positive this week in practice and mainly work on keeping the intensity level high for 90 straight minutes. "We're really going to focus on playing together as a team and playing to our full potential," Gelb said, "because if we do that for all 90 minutes, we will win."

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Soccer

Women's Soccer: Women's soccer makes it three straight NESCAC victories

October 17

For the second Saturday in a row, the women's soccer teamexacted some revenge on a NESCAC opponent.

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Soccer

Women's Soccer: Tufts battles to a 1-1 tie in double OT at Amherst

September 26

A short lapse of intensity on the defensive side late in the second half led to another disappointing finish for the women's soccer team, which left Pratt Field in Amherst, Mass. still winless on the season. The Jumbos, who had scored earlier in the second frame, came away with a 1-1 deadlock against Amherst, their second tie of the season, to move to 0-2-2 overall (0-1-2, NESCAC) and into a tie for seventh place in the conference with Connecticut College. Despite not coming away with the win, the Jumbos were happy with their play and felt they dominated the game. "I think we played much better today than we have in previous games," senior co-captain Becky Greenstein said. "We were clicking in the midfield and with our forwards, and really moving the ball well." The Jumbos welcomed back three of its starters with open arms on Saturday, as senior Jen Baldwin and juniors Sarah Callaghan and Lydia Claudio were available to play. However, the absence of senior center fullback Catherine Benedict due to a stomach injury, combined with Tufts' lack of offense over the past few games, forced coach Martha Whiting to shake up the lineup a little bit. Senior Alina Schmidt moved from center defensive midfield to replace Benedict at center fullback, while Greenstein moved over from the right side to play center mid, and junior Lindsay Garmirian started at right halfback. In addition, Whiting inserted two freshmen, Martha Furtek and Joelle Emery into the lineup, with Furtek starting at offensive center mid and Emery at right fullback. Junior Ariel Samuelson started at forward alongside Baldwin, with Claudio and Callaghan coming off the bench. "The different lineup we had today really worked well," Greenstein said. "We decided we would just go out and play today, not stress about the win, and that's what we did." Senior goalie Meg McCourt started the game in goal and was relatively untouched in the first half, only having to make one save. Whiting substituted Annie Ross in the second half, who made two saves but surrendered the game-tying goal. McCourt was reinstated for the overtime periods and again held the Lord Jeffs scoreless. After a scoreless first half on both sides of the ball, Baldwin and Greenstein were finally able to put the Jumbos on the board, ending a scoreless streak of over 290 minutes of play spanning four games. Baldwin took a nifty feed from the co-captain, turned, and ripped a shot past Amherst sophomore goalie Piper Crowell to put Tufts up 1-0 at the 52:15 mark. However, over the course of the next 15 minutes, the Jumbos experienced what Greenstein called a "mental slip." In the 67th minute, the Jeffs took advantage of a free kick inside the 20 yard line, and senior Ashley Harmeling, the reigning NESCAC Player of the Year playing in her first game of the season, snuck a shot past Ross to knot the game at one. "They took the free kick so quickly that we did not have a chance to set up for it," Greenstein said. "They had an opportunity and capitalized on it, good work by them, but I still feel we dominated the majority of the game." The squads battled through both overtime periods, but neither was able to score, ending the game at a 1-1 stalemate. The Jumbos head into a three-game homestand this week virtually needing to go 3-0 to build some much needed momentum. The action starts up on Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m. against the non-conference Gordon Scots, a team Tufts smoked 7-0 early last season. On Saturday, Tufts faces off against a tough Bates team in its first of two Homecoming contests, while the squad will take on non-conference Worcester State on Sunday to wrap up the weekend.

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Soccer

Women's soccer uses early momentum to put away Cardinals

October 15

The women's soccer team scored three goals in the first 15 minutes en route to a 4-2 win over the visiting Wesleyan Cardinals yesterday. The Jumbos, ranked 20th in the nation and third in New England in Monday's NSCAA poll, improve to 8-2 overall, and 5-1 in the NESCAC, where they now hold a full game lead over Williams and Amherst (4-2). Junior forward Jess Trombly scored two of the goals, netting the first just 59 seconds into the match. The Jumbos took the opening kickoff straight down the field, and Trombly sent a feed from sophomore Jen Baldwin past Cardinal keeper Kelly McFarling to give Tufts the early lead. Baldwin made it 2-0 just over four minutes later, hooking a left-footed cross from the corner into the frame. The score gives Baldwin a team leading 12 points on five goals and two assists, while Trombly is second with five goals and one assist. "She's definitely a key part of the offense," coach Martha Whiting said of Baldwin. "She can score goals and she can set people up. She's a good player, and she makes the players around her better." Tufts continued to dominate, and extended its lead to 3-0 in the 15th minute, with Trombly tallying her fourth goal in two games after a scramble in front of the net. Baldwin took the first shot, and when McFarling could not hold on to the ball, Trombly was there to finish it off. "We started off really well in the first half _ the first 20 minutes we were doing great," senior co-captain Alle Sharlip said. "We were doing everything that we have been working on in practices the past couple weeks." But Tufts finally slowed down after the third goal, suffering from what the team hopes will not become a trend of letting down after taking an early lead. "I think we got into our tendency of getting comfortable," senior co-captain Cara Glassanos said. "We had a 3-0 lead in the first 20 minutes, and we just thought that the game was over. We didn't play well." "We sort of let down a little bit and got relaxed, and maybe a little cocky," Sharlip added. Despite the drop in intensity, Tufts was able to keep the Cardinals off the board through the end of the first half. The Jumbos picked it back up in the second period, when they extended their lead to 4-0 in the 66th minute, as freshman Lydia Claudio netted the first score of her collegiate career. Trombly was in the mix again, firing a shot that bounced off backup goalkeeper Christina Farrell. Claudio was there to put away the rebound, adding what would turn out to be some much-needed insurance. With the comfort of a four-goal lead, Tufts' intensity level plummeted, giving Wesleyan the chance to claw its way back into the game. The Cardinals capitalized, scoring two goals in a three minute span and causing Whiting to scramble to get her starters back on the field. "They started to pick it up, and I have to give them credit, because they really did play hard," Whiting said. "They're streaky, and if they had any consistency, they'd probably be pretty good. They started to beat us to the ball, and they really use their bodies well. We got pushed around a little bit." The first of Wesleyan's goals came with 14:10 to play. Junior midfielder Leila Bozorg took a cross in the box from the right side and hammered a strong shot past Jumbo keeper Meg McCourt for the first goal of her career. The second goal came two and a half minutes later, after McCourt initially stopped a shot on a Cardinal breakaway, but could not hold onto it. The deflection rolled off to the side, where Wesleyan's top scorer, freshman forward Natalie Cohen, was there to put it away. Tufts rebounded after the second goal, picking its intensity back up and keeping Wesleyan from getting any closer, sealing the 4-2 win. The Jumbos out-shot Wesleyan 24-9 on the day and, on an even more positive note, have scored nine goals in their last two games after netting just three in their first four. "I knew it was there all along, and it finally started to click for us," Whiting said. "We're really starting to play smart and get used to each other, anticipating what the other one is going to do. Everything is just starting to click offensively." "I think what we've done these past two games is to play simple," Glassanos added. "We're playing to feet, we're pulling it back and not forcing it. We're not trying to dribble through five people, we're just playing the easy ball and the goals are just coming." The Jumbos now must focus all their attention on Saturday's opponent, the 8-3 Williams Ephs. The always-tough Ephs will be looking to get back on track after a 2-1 loss to Middlebury last weekend. "We're just going to have to play our best," Whiting said. "They're very speedy, they have a great passing game. We're very similar, and I think it's going to come down to whoever wants it more that day. We have to come ready for a fight, because that's what it's going to be." "If we play to our potential, we can beat anybody, and certainly we can beat Williams," Sharlip said. "If we played like we did the first 20 minutes of this game, we'll beat Williams, but we have to come out and play like that."

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Women's soccer team has feeding frenzy on Simmons Sharks

August 31

In its most lopsided victory of the year, the women's soccer team decimated Simmons College 5-0 yesterday, building confidence for its important NESCAC game against Trinity tomorrow. Tufts outshot Simmons 53-2 in the contest, controlling play from the opening kick until the closing whistle. With the win, Tufts improved its record to 7-4, while Simmons slipped to 5-6. "I thought today was great," coach Martha Whiting said after the game. "We played hard and capitalized on our chances - something we didn't do against Brandeis last week." The first half of the game resembled earlier non-conference matches for Tufts, with a barrage of shots but very few goals on the board. The Jumbos put up 28 shots in the first half but scored only once, as many shots ricocheted off of the crossbar. The second half was a different story, though, as Tufts went on a scoring rampage, led by midfielder Becky Mann. The senior had a goal and two assists, while freshman midfielder Becky Greenstein notched two goals and an assist. "It's great that we finally had this huge burst of scoring and were able to finish shots," Mann said. "It's really good for morale, and it shows us that we will be able to finish shots in big games where we don't have as many scoring opportunities." Simmons only posed one threat in the game. Early in the second half, the team had a clear look at the goal, but could not convert. The squad also produced three straight corner kicks, but the Jumbo defense was able to subdue any possible attack. Tufts was able to maintain its level of intensity for the entire 90 minutes of the contest - a feat which has been absent in the majority of outings this year. Case in point: Greenstein broke through two lackadaisical defenders on a botched clear with less than two minutes left to net the final goal of the game. "That is what we need," Whiting said. "Players playing to the last whistle is something that you love to see as a coach." With the team running up the score, Whiting was also able to rest some of her work-weary starters, who are in the middle of an eight-day stretch with four games. Freshman Lindsey Wolejko scored her second goal of the season off of the bench. "It shows that anyone on the team can produce when called upon," Mann said of the bench players' contributions. Also appearing on the score sheet were sophomore Jess Trombly, who netted her team-leading fourth goal of the year, and sophomore Alle Sharlip, who had an assist. The Jumbos will now have to channel their confidence into a more important NESCAC match-up with Trinity (6-5, 2-4) tomorrow at home. Tufts, 4-3 in conference play, has lost three of its last four games in NESCAC play but could clinch a spot in the conference tournament with a win tomorrow. Trinity has won five of its last seven games and should provide a much higher level of competition than Simmons. "I'm really excited about coming off of this win, and playing Trinity," Whiting said. "If we go into the tournament as we are peaking, that will be a great thing."@s:Women's soccer psyched for Saturday's Trinity game

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Soccer

Women's soccer to butt heads with Conn. College Camels today

August 31

The women's soccer team, which is coming off a 3-1 win over the Middlebury Panthers on Saturday, will look to extend its winning streak at home this afternoon at 4 p.m. against the Connecticut College Camels. The Jumbos (2-1, 2-0 NESCAC) beat the Camels (2-1, 1-1 NESCAC) by a 1-0 score in their only meeting last year. Tufts has picked up considerable momentum after dropping the season opener to Babson, 4-1. The team responded to the loss with two straight conference wins, including Saturday's comeback over Middlebury. That win was especially important for the Jumbos because the Panthers were the only NESCAC opponents they did not beat last year. "Saturday was a great confidence builder for our team. It was really a pivotal game," coach Martha Whiting said. "We've got some momentum. [The players] are feeling confident as a group, and are starting to believe in each other and trust each other and the decisions they make on the field. Something just clicked for us, and I think it'll carry over." In addition to momentum, the win enabled the team to establish a new identity and separate itself from last season's NCAA runner-up squad. "Now we can dismiss last year's team. We don't have to look back anymore," assistant coach Andrea Licari said. "This team is unique and just as great. This team beat Middlebury and can do so much. They are capable of everything last year's team accomplished and more, and now they can see that." The Jumbos may be on a hot streak, but it is still important to improve both mentally and physically, the coaches say. "We have to not settle for how we played [Saturday]," Licari said. "We still have a lot to work on, and we have to push ourselves more and expect more. The only way to succeed is to keep your goals up." Conn. College finished just 6-8 last season, and its 2-7 record in the NESCAC failed to qualify the team for the conference tournament. But Whiting insists that the Camels are not a team to be taken lightly. "There's a fine line between every team. Conn. has always played us tough," she said. "We didn't beat them for the first three or four years I was here, and since then it's been back and forth. They're not a team we consistently beat. Last year was a tough game, but I like that we're playing at home. It really works in our favor." The Jumbos have lost just one contest on their home field - the NCAA Championship match against the College of New Jersey - in 13 games since the start of the 2000 season. The Camels will be led by a trio of senior captains: forward Lena Eckhoff, who has scored two goals this season, midfielder Sara Molina, and goalkeeper Laura Knisely, who has a 1.58 goals against average. With her two-goal performance in Saturday's win, Tufts midfielder Alle Sharlip earned NESCAC Player of the Week and Tufts Athlete of the Week honors. She is the team's leading scorer with four points, and is followed by sophomore Becca Doigan, who has three. Doigan, however, is questionable for today's game after suffering a lower-leg injury against Middlebury. Senior co-captain Katie Ruddy will also miss her second consecutive match because of a hip injury. However, she is expected back for this weekend's game at Colby. Today's contest is the third of four consecutive conference games for the Jumbos in an 11-day span.

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Soccer

Women's soccer team wins emotional 2-1 victory

August 31

Saturday's victory over Trinity was important to the women's soccer team for two reasons - for six seniors, it was the last regular-season home game, and it guaranteed the teem a berth in the NESCAC playoffs. Kraft Field has been a successful stomping ground for the Jumbo seniors, and the dramatic, come-from-behind 2-1 victory watched by over 1,000 fans added icing to the cake. In the past two years, the team has only dropped two home games, compared to 18 wins. "We just wanted to go out and play hard," said senior midfielder Katie Kehrberger. "I love our field and the home crowds. We definitely wanted to play well for all of our friends and families." And appropriately, it was a pair of seniors who combined for the winning goal of the game. Midway through the second half, Kehrberger sent a corner kick to midfielder Sara Standish, who was waiting unmarked near the right goalpost. The goal capped the comeback win, which moved Tufts into a tie for third place in the NESCAC and guaranteed it spot in the conference postseason tournament. "It felt good, especially to come from behind," senior co-captain Lynn Cooper said. "Everyone worked really hard, which is good to see. The huge crowd definitely added a lot. It was nice to get the sure spot in the tournament and not have to depend on anyone else getting us in." The six seniors - Cooper, Standish, Kehberger, Becky Mann, Katie Ruddy, and Mara Schanfield - have all been integral to the team's success this season. "The seniors all had a really important part in the game, and that made me really happy that they could fight so hard," coach Martha Whiting said. Aside from Standish's goal, the other standout senior performer was Schanfield, the goalkeeper, who continued her intense level of play. Although she only made four saves, most of them were difficult point blank shots, which Schanfield played perfectly. "There is a point during your senior year when it dawns on you that this is the end of the line," Whiting said. "Basically you and your team are in control of how far you want to take it, or how quickly you're going to let it stop. I know the seniors were playing for their lives out there, and it showed." The emotion-filled victory moved Tufts to 8-4 overall and 5-3 in the NESCAC, behind only Bates (5-2) and Williams (7-0). "We knew we had to come out and win today to secure a position in the playoffs," Kehrberger said. "We didn't want to go into next week with a big question mark hanging over our heads."With one game to play, Tufts could still finish as high as second in the conference and possibly host the playoffs, which begin on Oct. 21. The process for determining who hosts the first round of the playoffs is slightly arbitrary as it takes location, number of available playing fields, and team records into consideration. Since Williams will receive a first round bye, Tufts has a legitimate shot of hosting the first round of games. For the seniors, the post-season is familiar territory, as two of the past three years have yielded a New England champion team. The team appears to be peaking both emotionally and physically heading into the final week of the season, so another playoff run seems imminent. "The seniors are actually the only people on the team who have been to the NCAA's twice, so two out of their three years have been phenomenal," Whiting said. "We're trying to make it three out of four years for them. I know they're excited."

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Soccer

Women's soccer up to the challenge

August 31

With a talented core of returning players and eight promising freshman joining the roster, the largest obstacle for the women's soccer team this year will be pressure. That pressure will come from within, as the defending national runner-ups attempt to fill the gaps left by its three departed captains, two of whom were All-Americans. Pressure will also come from every opponent - teams that once regarded Tufts as an underdog but now consider it the team to beat in New England. Coach Martha Whiting will have her first opportunity to continue last year's success today, when Tufts plays its first NESCAC game at Wesleyan. Although the Cardinals finished at the bottom of the league last year, Whiting says they are a strong opponent. "Every team that we play will be extremely pumped up to play us," Whiting said. "We have no control over that. We just have to forget about it and play." While the starting lineup has not been determined, Whiting will employ a 4-4-2 formation, with four defenders, four midfielders, and two forwards. Forwards Senior co-captain Lynn Cooper and sophomore Jess Trombly established themselves as team leaders last year and will start in the forward positions this fall. Cooper, who has led the team in scoring in each of her three seasons as a Jumbo and has 76 career points, was named to last year's All New England First Team. Trombly came off the bench last season to provide a speedy scoring threat and ended up third on the team with 20 points. At season's end, she earned NESCAC Rookie of the Year honors. Sophomore Becca Doigan, who Whiting said is in good physical shape, will back up the two starters. Midfielders Returning to the outside midfield positions will be senior Becky Mann and junior Elizabeth Tooley. The center positions will be filled by an array of returnees, including seniors Katie Kehrberger and Sara Standish and juniors Alle Sharlip and Brenna O'Rourke. "I think we have strong and smart midfielders, which is always a plus," Whiting said. "Our wide players are fast and that's a really important aspect of our game. Becky Mann will suddenly turn it on, and she can surprisingly score a lot of goals. Elizabeth came off the bench last year and did a great job."Defense Easily the most inexperienced unit for the women's soccer team, the defense will rely on the leadership and skill of co-captain Katie Ruddy to hold itself intact. "[Ruddy] is a good communicator on the field," Whiting said. "She's a veteran player. She's been out in the trenches for three years, and she will be there to step up and lead." In the backfield with Ruddy will be junior Cara Glassanos and sophomores Abby Herzberg and Jess Lovitz. Glassanos and Lovitz saw significant playing time last year, while Herzberg only played in five games. Defenders will have to adjust to a diamond formation, consisting of a sweeper, stopper, and two outside backs, instead of the flat back four set-up. "People are more comfortable," said senior Katie Kehrberger. "This type of defense suits the players better this year."Goalkeepers In goal, senior Mara Schanfield will have the daunting task of replacing second team All-American Randee McArdle, who graduated last year. While Schanfield's playing time has been limited, she has a career 87.5 save percentage in the nine games she has played. "Mara's confidence has gone up and up since we have been practicing," Whiting said. "I have nothing but good things to say about her." But Schanfield, who received a red card in Saturday's loss to Babson for interfering with an opposing player, is suspended for today's game. Backup goalkeeper Meg McCourt, a freshman, will start instead. "Meg did a nice job Saturday," Whiting said. "I think she's confident and she's a good communicator."Bench While the starting lineup is not completely set, Whiting will have a few dependable returning players on the bench. Aside from McCourt, no other freshmen will start games early on. "You never know who is going to shine and deserve to start," Whiting said. But, she added, "we are at a point now where we don't need any of the freshmen to start." While the bench will be relatively inexperienced, there are a handful of players who can step on the field and get the job done. Coach Although she is in only her third season as head coach, Whiting has received numerous accolades, including National Coach of the Year recognition last season. Whiting was a goalkeeper for Tufts women's soccer team from 1989-92, and holds the University records for career saves and fewest goals allowed in a season.

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Soccer

Women's soccer team hosts clinic for inner-city youths

August 31

While the season is over for the women's soccer team, its members helped enhance the future of the sport, hosting a soccer clinic last Friday for City Kicks, an organization designed to support middle-school aged girls from the inner-city. The event was an overwhelming success, with about 40 girls from Roxbury and Dorchester working on drills and playing various games run by the entire soccer team and its coach, Martha Whiting. Senior Sara Standish helped organize the event. After reading about City Kicks in the Boston Globe, Standish says she realized it would be a rewarding experience for her team and the girls they would be instructing. "When you see younger kids playing soccer, it makes you remember why you starting playing in the first place," Standish said. Standish contacted City Kicks coordinator Anne Strong, who agreed it would be a great experience for the girls and helped set up the event. This was the first time in City Kicks' three-year history that the organization worked directly with a complete college team. "We tried asking some colleges in the past, but they are too busy with their season during the fall," Strong said. "The event was perfect. It was magical. Every single player was great with the kids. At first some of the young girls were standoffish, but by the end they were all laughing and completely into it." The City Kicks' girls ranged widely in experience, anywhere from five years to less than one year, so the Tufts players had to revamp their itinerary to accommodate the disparate skill levels. "We worked on some basic drills with some girls, and we were able to show others some of the actual games that we play during practice," Standish said. "My teammates were great with changing around the drills and games to accommodate the girls." Whiting let her players to do the coaching on Friday, but left the City Kicks girls with some closing words about how soccer is more than just a sport - but rather also an activity that can lead to friendship and teamwork that will be valuable in high school and college. "The whole event turned out unbelievably well," Whiting said. "The Tufts girls were having just as much fun as the younger ones." The funding for the clinic was provided by the provost's office and was given without hesitation when Standish approached Sol Gittleman. "Women's soccer is a great sport," Gittleman said. "Somerville benefits from this, and if Somerville benefits, then the University benefits. Seeing the quality of players on our soccer team must have been great for those girls." Although this was its first time working with a college team, City Kicks has enjoyed success over the past three years and has thrived under the Strong's leadership. Strong, a non-practicing attorney, says she runs the City Kicks organization because she feels that inner-city children, especially girls, do not have enough opportunities to play organized sports. There are over 125 girls who participate in the after school program, which meets two or three times a week. Its primary goal is to focus on teamwork, self-esteem and physical fitness, while downplaying the competitive aspect of the sport. "I grew up in the '50s and was frustrated by not being able to play in sports because of my gender," Strong said. "When youth soccer became popular, I was drawn to it, but by the mid '90s, it was disproportionately white and upper-middle class. I wanted to get more lower income kids involved." Strong was impressed by the detail of instruction, as well as the rapport developed between the girls. Although none of the City Kicks girls were available for comment, Strong says they enjoyed their time at Tufts. "If the volume on the bus ride home was any indication, I'd say they loved it," Strong said. The two groups are already thinking ahead to another clinic in the spring and hope that Friday's success will be repeated in the future. And who knows, maybe one of the City Kicks girls will suit up in Brown and Blue one day.

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Soccer

Women's sports sidelined by scheduling

August 31

Though women's teams traditionally compete at home on Homecoming day against a Tufts rival (typically Amherst or Williams), tradition will not be a part of homecoming for the women this year. Due to scheduling and playoff conflicts, the squads have already finished their seasons - a possibility that the players feel should have been considered when Tufts' 2001 Homecoming was scheduled. Players and alumni are disappointed in being excluded from what has historically been the biggest day for Tufts sports. "I was really disappointed when I heard there would be no field hockey game - especially since I didn't get a chance to see them play last year either," former field hockey player Rebecca Litt (LA '00) said. "As a player, I always loved having lots of fans turn out for the homecoming game; including lots of former teammates. Other than postseason games, homecoming was the most exciting. It's too bad that they don't have one this year." Former teammate Meredith LeRoux (LA '00) echoed her sentiments. "It is very disappointing to know that there won't be a field hockey game to watch," she said. "I'm disappointed because I like to be part of the whole homecoming atmosphere." The field hockey team foresaw the disappointment and exclusion that would be felt on homecoming day, and organized an alumni match that will take place Saturday afternoon instead of a game against Amherst. "It's good because we are going to have a really relaxed atmosphere and enjoy the other games," LeRoux said. Litt is also excited for the match, despite her disappointment over the fact that she can't watch her alma mater compete in seasonal play. "I haven't played in two years, so it should be interesting," she said. The women's soccer team might make an appearance at Kraft Field on Saturday afternoon - however, it too will be on the sidelines. The women's NCAA tournament got pushed up a week, which forced the NESCAC tournament up a week and resulted in a curtailed season. "It's really tough, because you train so hard all year, all of a sudden it ends and you're not expecting it, and your season ends," coach Martha Whiting said. "We really expected to be playing this weekend, one way or another."The women's soccer team did not plan an alumni game because it anticipated competing on Saturday. Following a stellar 2000 season, where the squad reached the final round of the Division III NCAA tournament, the Jumbos expected to play in the playoffs. But the team lost to Amherst in the first round of the NESCAC playoff tournament last weekend, and hopes of a repeat season were silenced. "The fact that we're not playing at home and not playing at all this weekend is very disappointing," Whiting said. "Our team has certain traditions surrounding homecoming. That we aren't able to do that is kind of sad."For Whiting, this weekend marks the first time in her 13 years at Tufts that the Jumbos have not had game on homecoming - an aspect of the season that she considers to be the most enjoyable."We've been fortunate to always have a game. It provides an opportunity for a number of our alumni to come back and see what we've been doing," Whiting said. "I'm sure that some will come back and be disappointed to not see our team play."Fortunately next year, the NCAA tournament will observe the usual calendar and the regular season will also resume its normal schedule. "I remember in the past that there were teams that had games on homecoming but they were away games. That was something I never understood," LeRoux said. "What is the point of having homecoming if not all of the teams are competing at home? Homecoming not only brings alumni back to watch the games but it brings the whole University together along with the players' parents and relatives to watch and cheer on their fellow Jumbos."@s:Women athletes will be on the sidelines

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Soccer

Women's soccer team exhibits depth and versatility

August 31

As the Tufts women's soccer team begins its year, it looks to build on a long line of successful seasons. In the past, the Jumbos have put together consistently strong campaigns, boasting winning records in 19 of their 20 seasons, an overall winning percentage of 62.9, and 17 postseason appearances. With this year's roster, as usual, strong from front to back, the 2000 successes should be no different. Coach Martha Whiting is starting her second season at the helm, after serving as assistant coach under current athletic director Bill Gehling for seven years. Whiting was impressive in her debut season, leading the Jumbos to a 9-5-1 record and their fourth consecutive post-season berth, but sees room for improvement. "I know myself, and last year I was nervous," she said. "I'm still nervous, but I feel a little more confident with everything. Having gone through everything once makes it easier to do the second time. I think that I have a better feel for the role of head coach, and that's going to make my job easier." One of the major obstacles the Jumbos must overcome will be the tougher competition they face this season. Tufts will take the field against all nine other schools in the NESCAC (up from seven in previous years), a traditionally strong conference that dominates the New England top ten rankings year after year. "We've added two more NESCAC teams, Middlebury and Wesleyan, so now we're playing nine NESCACs and five non-conference games, which are not easy games. This year will also be a little tougher because it's a week shorter. We have our work cut out for us for sure." The shorter season comes as a result of the newly-created NESCAC tournament, which will determine the sole team representing the NESCAC in the NCAA Tournament. While, in the past, NESCAC teams have received at-large bids to the tournament, NESCAC schools passed a regulation in February 1999 that prohibits more than one NESCAC team, in any sport, from appearing in NCAA postseason competition. The Jumbos must also overcome the loss to graduation of seven players, including a large majority of Tufts' offensive power. Whiting, however, is not concerned about her team's ability to put the ball in the net. She said that both the returning players and her first class of recruits are up to the challenge. "Up front we have some dangerous strikers - kids who can really put the ball in the net," Whiting said. "We had five strikers playing [in a recent scrimmage] and each of them scored a goal. We have good players and depth all over the place. If someone gets tired, there's someone right there to go in for them. Our depth is a lot better than it was last year. I feel like I could put any one off them in. "I purposefully went out and tried to recruit kids to play up top. I think we'll be stronger in that area than we were last year because we went out and looked for these kids and we got them." Most of the offensive responsibility, though, will fall on the skilled shoulders of junior forward Lynn Cooper, who has led the Jumbos in scoring in each of the last two years. Cooper ended her sophomore season with a total of 48 points so far in her Tufts career, including 19 goals and ten assists. Also contributing in the scoring department will be senior tri-captain Sara Yeatman, whose career ten goals and eight assists give her 28 points, second overall out of active players. Starting in the other forward spot will be freshman Jess Trombly, while freshman forward/midfielder Becca Doigan, sophomore Cara Glassanos, who plays both forward and defensive back, and sophomore Alle Sharlip, who saw limited time last year at the center midfield position, will fill in with extra firepower when the starters need a rest. The Jumbos are also in better shape defensively than they were in '99. Last season, the team, which uses a flat-back four alignment (four defenders lined up straight across the field), had only three true defensive backs and was forced to rotate other players into the remaining slot. This year, however, the Jumbos have a lot more depth in the backfield. Senior tri-captain Carmen Mikacenic, junior Katie Ruddy, and sophomore Brenna O'Rourke return to their familiar positions, and will be joined by newcomers freshmen Abby Herzberg and Jesse Lovitz, in addition to Glassanos. "We have three new defenders who are really going to shore up that front," Whiting said. "Last year we had three defenders and then we had to put a couple kids who didn't really play in the back in there. This year we have kids who are comfortable playing there. I feel like we're going to be very strong in the back." Tufts' midfield is also stacked with talent. In addition to Yeatman, who will spend most of her time at the attacking center-mid spot, the Jumbos have juniors Katie Kehrberger, Becky Mann, and Sara Standish, and sophomores Elizabeth Tooley and Adi Sherwood, who all combined for five goals and four assists last season. Freshmen Doigan and Lindsay Spielberg will provide extra depth to an already strong midfield. The three seniors, Yeatman, Mikacenic, and goalkeeper Randee McArdle, will lead the team as captains on the field. Each has received her share of honors over the past three years, including All-New England, All-NESCAC, and Academic All-NESCAC team nominations. Mikacenic has been consistently strong in the back for the Jumbos, solidifying a defense that has at times been one of the best in the NESCAC. McArdle was phenomenal in her first two years in the net, compiling 15 shutouts in 31 starts, while putting together a miniscule .63 goals against average and a save percentage of 86 percent. "We have great leadership," Whiting said of her three captains. "We have three seniors on the team, and they're all captains, and they all play all the time. Right up the center of the field, we have some great leadership." Backing up McArdle is an equally-capable goalie in junior Mara Schanfield, who, in filling in for the senior, has put together a .41 GAA, saving 83.3 percent of the opposition's shots on goal. The key to the success of this year's team will be the ability of the players to work hard, work together, and stay focused against the tough competition. "Team chemistry is really good," Whiting said. "The returning players are extremely tight, and I think that already the new players are fitting in. They really get along well, they work together well, and they push each other, which is important. If we can make it to the NESCAC tournament, I think that we have as good a shot as anyone in the conference at winning that and going on to NCAAs. It's just a matter of people staying healthy, working hard, and keeping up our intensity."

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