As the fall comes to a close, the Daily takes a look back on some of the most memorable moments this semester in Tufts athletics:
Tufts earns rousing victory over Bowdoin in season finale
In a titanic NESCAC matchup, the field hockey team on Oct. 29 refused to be sunk by its rival Bowdoin. With the No. 1 seed in the NESCAC Tournament on the line, senior Tamara Brown's goal was the difference in a 1-0 Tufts win. The Jumbos outshot the Polar Bears 8-3 in the contest, including Brown's goal, which came with 15 minutes left in the first half off an assist from senior Melissa Burke and gave the Jumbos the No. 1 seed. After this momentous win, however, Tufts' season went downhill, as the Polar Bears exacted revenge in the NESCAC Championship with a 3-0 blowout of the Jumbos. Bowdoin went on to win the NCAA Championship — its third in four years — while the Jumbos were upset by Middlebury in the second round. But on this day, the Jumbos showed that when they play well, they can beat any team in the country.
Against Amherst, Anthony Fucillo shatters offensive records
Though the football team came out on the losing end of the highest scoring game in NESCAC history, it certainly didn't stop the Jumbos from rewriting the history books. In a game featuring 1,303 yards of total offense and 119 total points, senior Anthony Fucillo became the first quarterback in NESCAC history to throw for over 500 yards in a game. In the Jumbos' 70-49 loss to Amherst on Oct. 30, Fucillo's 503-yard total shattered the previous Tufts record of 356. The tri-captain's 522 yards of total offense in Tufts' loss and the 119 total points scored were both new all-time league highs as well. In Tufts' new high-powered, no-huddle spread offense, Fucillo led the Jumbos to a NESCAC- and school-record 671 yards of total yardage, which included sophomore Dylan Haas' 205 receiving yards.
Hockey team blanks Middlebury in historic win
The hockey team hadn't beaten Middlebury in more than half a century, and the Panthers hadn't been shut out in their season opener since 1940. But on Nov. 19, both of those streaks came to an end.
Led by a 29-save effort from junior quad-captain goaltender Scott Barchard, the Jumbos blanked Middlebury, 3-0. Tufts had one tally apiece from senior quad-captain Dylan Cooper and classmate Zach Diaco, while freshman Garrett Sider added an empty-netter with less than three minutes to go.
Despite being outshot 29-15 and committing five penalties to Middlebury's one, the Jumbos started their season off on a high note and earned their second win in the program's history over the Panthers.
Women's soccer takes NESCAC regular season title
With an impressive 1-0 victory over Bowdoin in the Oct. 29 regular season finale paired with an Amherst loss, the women's soccer team clinched the No. 1 seed in the NESCAC Tournament.
A goal from junior Jamie Love-Nichols — her fourth of the season — proved to be the game- and NESCAC regular season-winner. The win put the Jumbos at 8-2-3 for the regular season and, more importantly, gave them home-field advantage in the playoffs.
But that was the end of the magic for the Jumbos, who were upended in penalty kicks by the No. 8 seed Bates Bobcats in the quarterfinals. It was a tragic ending to a tremendous season which saw a six-game win streak and a nine-game unbeaten streak. Both Jumbo losses were by a single goal.
Fortunately, the team has a plethora of young weapons waiting to take revenge next year. Expect great things from these women in the next few years.
Volleyball upsets Williams in clutch performance
After losing three straight matches in October, the volleyball team was at a crossroads. But on Oct. 15, down two sets to one at home against Williams, something clicked. The result was a huge comeback five-set victory that launched Tufts back in the win column.
This season was an emotional roller coaster for the Jumbos, who dealt with injuries and a tough non-conference schedule. But Tufts ultimately received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year, after a run to the finals of the NESCAC Tournament. And it all started on this day in October, when, in front of a wild home crowd, the Jumbos gritted their way to a win against their hated rivals.
Honorable mention: Men's soccer halts NESCAC skid
If first-year men's soccer coach Josh Shapiro needed a win to energize his team, he couldn't have asked for one much better than Tufts' 1-0 triumph over Wesleyan on Sep. 25.
The Jumbos hadn't won a NESCAC match in nearly two years, but they welcomed the Cardinals — the No. 1 seed in the previous season's conference tournament — to Kraft Field and posted an impressive 1-0 shutout behind a stellar defensive effort.
Senior Ron Coleman scored the only goal of the match in the 20th minute, and junior goalkeeper Alan Bernstein turned away seven Wesleyan shots to ensure that Tufts' early lead would hold up.
