With senior co-captain Sarah Nolet serving a one-game suspension for the red card she picked up this Saturday, senior Audrey Almy took over at the center back spot for yesterday's match at Conn. College alongside senior co-captain Carrie Wilson, who was returning from injury.
Almy made her presence felt, heading in a corner early in the second half that broke a 1-1 tie and propelled the Jumbos to their sixth straight victory and to the top of the NESCAC.
Though Conn. College sophomore Ali McKeigue's 34th-minute goal snapped Tufts' streak of 593 straight minutes without conceding, the team was more than happy to take the victory, extending its winning streak to six matches.
Playing at home and looking to inch their way back into the playoff picture, the Camels came out firing on all cylinders. They tested freshman keeper Kristin Wright — the reigning NESCAC Player of the Week — five times in the first half and finally reaped the benefits as McKeigue ripped one from 20 yards out just under the crossbar, giving them the early lead.
With all the momentum and a strong start, the Camels looked as though they were headed to the break with the halftime lead. But junior midfielder Alix Michael, one of the most dangerous attacking players all season for the Jumbos, had a different idea, taking on a Camel defender before striking a shot from a distance just over the outstretched hand of the keeper.
"We felt after they scored, it really kicked us into gear," Almy said. "We had to refocus and take control. We've been working on our finishing, and Alix hit a great shot and that turned it around for us."
The goal changed the dynamic of the game, and coming out of the break, it was the Jumbos pushing for the lead. They did not have to wait long, earning a corner in the 51st minute. Junior forward Jamie Love-Nichols sent in the cross, and Almy rose above the rest of the players in a crowded box, redirecting the ball into the back of the net for her first collegiate goal, which happened to be the game-winner.
The victory has the Jumbos sitting in sole possession of first place in the NESCAC for the first time since 2005, a year in which the team went all the way to the NCAA semifinals. With two matches left to play, Tufts is two points ahead of Amherst and three points ahead of Williams, who it will play on Saturday at home. A victory over the Ephs, combined with a loss or draw by the Lord Jeffs, would be enough to clinch the regular season title and home-field advantage throughout the NESCAC championships.
"Things are coming together for us at the right time of the season, and this weekend is all about what we do on the field," Almy said. "It's not about Williams. If we do everything we can, everything will end up as we want it to."
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by Ethan Sturm
