After rising as high as first and falling as low as seventh in the NESCAC standings this season, the No. 14 women's lacrosse team finally seems to have found a happy medium.
Since it was blown out by No. 10 Amherst two weekends ago, Tufts has responded with two straight conference wins, most recently wiping out Wesleyan 14-7 on Saturday. However, with one regular season game remaining, a lot has yet to be determined. On Wednesday, the Jumbos will take on the No. 12 Bowdoin Polar Bears, with the winner securing the fifth seed in the NESCAC playoffs.
The final score on Saturday was in line with the Jumbos' expectations, as the Cardinals have struggled in the competitive NESCAC this year and have only one conference win - they defeated the Williams Ephs, the league's current cellar-dweller. However, despite the lopsided result, the game was close for most of the first half, as Wesleyan bounced back from an early goal by senior attackman Kelly Hyland to pull to within a goal at 4-3 with 9:21 to go.
"We went into this game knowing that we would have to play hard, but we also were confident that we would win," senior tri-captain Katie Lotz said. "When the game started out close, even though we were outplaying Wesleyan and possessing the ball way more than them, I think we all realized we needed to just take a breath and be patient in order to win."
Suddenly, the Jumbos found an extra gear. For the next 18:36, Tufts' defense stifled the Wesleyan attack, forcing numerous turnovers. Meanwhile, the offense took control of the game, scoring seven unanswered goals to put the contest effectively out of reach at 11-3.
While lacrosse is a sport prone to scoring streaks, the Jumbos' seven-goal run was likely their most dominant conference effort of the year, showcasing the abilities of both Hyland, who finished with three goals, and junior Kerry Eaton, who scored her team-high 32nd goal of the season in the game.
"When it got to 4-3, we knew we couldn't let this game slip away because of silly mistakes," Lotz said. "So we started to be more patient, knowing the goals would come, and with patience they did."
The large margin allowed coach Carol Rappoli to make more substitutions, which resulted in more playing time for the first-years and allowed freshman attackman Kali DiGate to score the first collegiate goal of her career.
"The seven unanswered goals came from a combination of pushing the fast break, and if the break didn't work, slowing the game to our pace to maintain possession of the ball," sophomore midfielder Kate Applegate said. "Our performance was really solid and constant, especially in the second half. We played with a lot of composure all across the field, not causing unnecessary fouls on defense and avoiding forced turnovers on offense."
The win was exactly what the Jumbos needed as a springboard into their last game of the regular season, which will take place in Brunswick, Maine, on Wednesday. The winner of the game will finish fifth and face Amherst in the first round of the playoffs - by no means an easy matchup, but preferable by far to finishing sixth and being forced to play national No. 6 Middlebury.
Therefore, the desire to avoid the Panthers, who are second in the conference in both goals for and goals against, should be all the motivation the Polar Bears and Jumbos need Wednesday night. The winner will also walk away with a conference record better-than .500, a feat that Tufts has achieved in each of the last four seasons.
"Not playing Middlebury in the first round of NESCACs would be ideal for us, besides the fact that no one wants to have to go all the way out to Middlebury to play," Lotz said. "I definitely think it is one of many motivating factors for us to beat Bowdoin. I do think, though, that our team has improved so much, and we've changed a lot about our game since playing Middlebury earlier in the season, so if we do face them in NESCACs it will be a totally different game."
Perhaps even more important than all the matchup implications, the game will be the last opportunity for the Jumbos to gain momentum before the playoffs. They will either enter the postseason riding a three-game conference winning streak and confident in their ability to beat quality teams, or they will face Middlebury, an ominous matchup given that Tufts has not beaten a single NESCAC team with a winning record.
"The Bowdoin game is our most important yet," Applegate said. "We are motivated to win to improve our conference standings, [and] in order to put us in better position in the tournament bracket for NESCACs. We are focusing on our cohesiveness as a unit, as well as capitalizing on each possession. It's our last regular season game, and everyone is energized to come out strong for the win."
Whatever happens on Wednesday, it has been another successful season for the Jumbos, who will finish with at least nine wins for the fifth consecutive spring.
"I think as players, having such consistent winning seasons gives us confidence to know that no team is impossible to beat," Lotz said. "Since we have beaten every team in the NESCAC in the past few seasons at least once, it's important for us mentally as a team. To be as consistent as we have been for the past five seasons is great, because it not only attracts great future players that will keep the program improving, but it's also great to have other teams respect Tufts and know that we're not an easy team to beat."
