The women's lacrosse team rolled into Amherst, Mass. for its season opener this weekend with one mantra: "Do not repeat history."
In last year's contest, the Lord Jeffs outscored the Jumbos 14-7, with Amherst pulling away early in the first half. Looking to seek retribution for last year's contest, the nationally ranked No. 17 Jumbos maintained the mental focus necessary to triumph over the No. 10 Lord Jeffs 11-9 this time around. For Amherst, the decision marked the team's first season-opening loss since 1998.
The Jumbos were looking to set the tone early on in the game and to avoid a situation that would allow the Lord Jeffs to pull away. In doing so, Tufts kept its eye on two targets, sophomore Kelley Trapp and senior quad-captain Mary Noonan, and sought to limit them on the offensive front. Last season, the two were a thorn in Tufts' side in the 14-7 loss, accounting for a combined eight goals and three assists.
The Jumbos opened the game up early with a quick goal from senior Courtney Thomas assisted by junior Emily Johnson. Seconds later, Amherst's Trapp and Noonan rifled past the Jumbos' defensive line to counter with a pair of goals just minutes apart from one another. It didn't take long for the Jumbos to respond, however, and 11 seconds after Noonan's goal, Thomas put the ball in the back of the net, knotting the game at 2-2.
Although Noonan posted her second and final goal of the game shortly thereafter, the Jumbos went on to showcase their offensive might, rallying for six goals in the final 15 minutes of the half. Among the scorers was freshman Lara Kozin who, with assists from senior co-captain Chrissie Attura, notched consecutive goals and one assist to secure a comfortable 8-3 lead at the half.
Despite the five-goal lead, the Jumbos went into the second frame avoiding an air of complacency, facing an Amherst squad determined to get back on the scoreboard. Just five minutes into play, Amherst's senior quad-captain Amy Craig rallied for three goals, narrowing Tufts' lead to two. After three minutes of back-and-forth play, Kozin found an opening to mark her first-ever collegiate hat trick off of a feed from junior Jenna Abelli. Shortly after, Johnson scored the final goal for the Jumbos, beating freshman goalie Lamia Harik. Although Craig battled back with three straight goals to narrow the lead once more and keep the Jumbos on their toes, Amherst was unable to pull off the win. Throughout the game, Tufts controlled the overall groundball battle, beating out the Amherst squad 25-16.
Showcasing the strength of the freshman class and the depth of the roster, the Jumbos started the 2009 season on the right foot. In the season opener, all members of the class of 2012 made an impact with leading performances from Kozin and Stephanie Perez, who recorded two goals in the first half with assists from upperclassmen Johnson and sophomore Amanda Roberts.
"The play was definitely faster, the transitions were quicker [and] the defenses were tougher; it was an overall higher level of play," said Kozin of her first NESCAC competition. "Coach warned us how good Amherst was and that every NESCAC game is practically air, but we still felt pretty confident."
Outside of the solid offensive play, the Jumbo defense effectively contained a highly volatile and skilled Lord Jeffs offensive attack. Both the offensive and defensive players worked well in terms of transitions and clearing to control the pace of the game.
In last season's Amherst matchup, then-freshman goalie Sara Bloom recorded an impressive performance, making nine saves in the goal for the Jumbos. This time around, with a year of experience under her belt, Bloom played a remarkable game in goal, making 13 saves for the win and proving her prowess in front of the net.
"The defense was working rather well as a unit -- there seemed to be an increased level of intensity within the group," Attura said. "Above all, Bloom really stepped it up. She has been playing well all year, but she kept us in the game with a great performance. She handled new offenses and schemes that Amherst threw her way. Her performance really showed her consistency."
This Wednesday, the Jumbos will play on Bello Field for their home opener against the 1-0 Wellesley Blue.
