The women's soccer team's playoff run ended Saturday with a 2-1 loss to Middlebury in the NESCAC semifinals. The loss in the semifinals marked the farthest Tufts has gone since 2009. Middlebury went on to win the conference with a 1-0 win over Williams.
The sixth-ranked Jumbos came into the game fueled by a 2-1 upset over the third-ranked Bowdoin Polar Bears in the quarterfinals. The first half looked strong for the Jumbos, as they held even with the Panthers, but the strong Middlebury offense eventually wore Tufts down in the second half.
"I thought we dominated and controlled the first half, and the second half was a good battle from each team," junior Caitlin Brandman told the Daily in an email. "We didn't capitalize on as many opportunities as we would have liked, but I think we really improved as a team throughout the season, physically and mentally, and I think this semifinal game showed that."
Tufts had several chances to take the lead in the first half, with a clear opportunity to score in the first three minutes. Freshman Robin Estus beat her two defenders at the 18-yard line and fired off a shot that Middlebury senior keeper Elizabeth Foody managed to tip just over the crossbar.
Both Middlebury and Tufts pushed hard in the first half, with seven shots on goal for both teams. According to senior co-captain Blair Brady, possession time was about equal in the first half, with both teams making driving efforts and responding well to counter attacks.
"Middlebury moved the ball really well, but we did too," Brady said. "There would just be times where Middlebury would possess the ball more, then [it would] switch back to us."
Middlebury got its first chance 34 minutes into the game and opened up a lead off of a free kick from senior Julia Favorito that classmate Sarah Noble was able to head in. It was Favorito's seventh assist of the season, the most in the NESCAC this year.
Tufts rebounded before the half with a goal of their own to tie the game. A series of strong passes in the last minute and a half gave sophomore Allie Weiller the chance to slot a ball through the top of the box that Brandman picked up and put past the goalie.
"I looked up, saw the frame of the goal and Middlebury goalkeeper, and shot the ball into the lower right corner," Brandman said. "Finishing that opportunity that my teammates created in a semifinal game was the best feeling."
According to Brady, Brandman's goal was one of the best the team has scored all season. The Jumbos didn't hold on to the tied game for long, however, as Middlebury came out firing in the second half.
Middlebury's aggressive offense led to seven shots on goal, forcing senior goalie Kristin Wright to make four saves total.
The Jumbos eventually succumbed to the attack, as Middlebury took the lead for good at the 55-minute mark when senior Scarlett Kirk beat a pair of defenders to challenge Wright one-on-one. Her shot bounced off the crossbar but was trapped and sent back into the net by sophomore Jamie Soroka for her fourth goal of the season.
Middlebury held onto its lead for the closing minutes of the game and neither team had a convincing shot at scoring for the remainder of the game. According to Brady, the team had to play more on the defensive end in the second half to fight against Middlebury's pressing offense.
"In the second half we found ourselves having to play a bit more defensively," Brady said. "They're a good team, and we definitely had lot of opportunities in the first half that I wish we had put away."
Despite the loss, the Jumbos came away feeling good with how they had battled and the effort that they had put in to make it to the semifinals in the first place. It was the farthest that this year's seniors have gone in the NESCAC tournament, and the success shows the progress the team has made this season.
"[I'm] really proud of the team, this was the farthest we'd ever advanced since I've been at Tufts," Brady said. "I wish we had won, but I think it was a lot of hard work across the board, and the new players we had came in with a lot of enthusiasm. Everybody worked hard, and it was such a cohesive, good group."
