Tufts Breaks Program Record for Wins with 14-11 Victory Over Amherst in Women's Lacrosse Quarterfinals
Courtesy Tufts Sports Information
MEDFORD, Mass. - Sophomore Amanda Roberts (Wenham, Mass.) scored five of her game-high six goals in the second half as the Tufts University women's lacrosse team overcame a 5-4 halftime deficit to win 14-11 against Amherst College in the quarterfinal round of the 2009 NESCAC Women's Lacrosse Championship at Bello Field on Sunday afternoon.
The win is the 14th of the season for the Jumbos, setting a new program record. The victory also earns Tufts (14-1) the right to host the conference semifinals and championship game at Bello next weekend (May 2-3). Amherst's season ended with a 6-8 record. Senior quad-captain Amy Craig (Denver, Colo.) scored five goals with three assists for eight points in her final game for the Lord Jeffs.
The visitors made a good showing as
the eighth seed in the tournament against #1 Tufts. Craig scored
twice as Amherst took a 4-2 lead with 7:17 remaining in the first
half. Roberts and junior Jenna Abelli (Framingham, Mass.), who
finished with five goals for Tufts, tallied
back-to-back goals that pulled the Jumbos even at 4-4 with 3:07 to
go until intermission. Senior Mary Noonan (West Roxbury, Mass.)
scored, assisted by Craig, to put Amherst in front 5-4 at the half.
Tufts took control of the game in the second half, but would have to hold off the Lord Jeffs. The Jumbos scored the first five goals of the second frame, two by Roberts, and led 9-5 with 18:47 on the clock. Amherst goals by Craig and first year Allie Horwitz (Woodbridge, Conn.) 15 seconds apart closed the margin to 9-7. Senior Courtney Thomas (Needham, Mass.) and Roberts got the Jumbo lead back to four (11-7), but Amherst again retaliated with goals by Craig and Noonan and it was 11-9 with 9:49 to play. The teams traded goals the rest of the way, with Roberts scoring her sixth with 2:24 to go and Tufts then effectively maintaining possession until the final whistle.
Abelli finished four for four on
free-position shots for Tufts, which was five for six in the game.
Senior co-captain Chrissie Attura (Yarmouth, Maine) recorded four
assists, Thomas (two goals) had three draw controls and Roberts
finished with three caused turnovers. Sophomore
goalie Sara Bloom (Summit, N.J.) was solid again in the Tufts cage
with nine saves.
Craig also had four draw controls
for the Lord Jeffs, while junior Kathleen Scheld (Yorktown Heights,
N.Y.) led them with three ground balls. First-year Meredith LaRose
(Cranford, N.J.) caused three turnovers. Starting goalie Lamia
Harik (Rye Brook, N.Y.) made three saves in 51:10 of action.
The final statistics were very even, with Amherst hold slim
advantages in shots (23-21) and draw controls (14-13). Ground balls
and turnovers were even.
The Jumbos, who removed 13-win teams from 1985, 1988 and 1989 from the record books, will play Williams in the semifinal round of the NESCAC tournament.
