Box Score
SOMERVILLE - Fighting for a berth into the upcoming NESCAC Championship, the Tufts women's soccer team played its best game of the season in a 4-0 victory against Hamilton College on Saturday afternoon at Kraft Field.
The visiting Continentals entered the game as the fourth-place team in the conference. Tied for 10th in the league, Tufts is on the outside looking in for one of the eight berths into the NESCAC Tournament. However, the Jumbos earned the must-win by scoring their most goals in a NESCAC game since a 6-0 victory over Connecticut College on October 28, 2007.
One of three seniors recognized in a ceremony prior to the game, Rachel Aronchick (Columbia, MD) scored two second-half goals off assists by junior Bizzy Lincoln (San Diego, CA) to pad the Tufts lead. The tallies were the first two of Aronchick's career.
The Jumbos got started quickly, with first-year Allie Weiller (Katonah, NY) scoring in the ninth minute. Her initial shot from the top of the 18 hit the post, but she scored on the rebound for her fourth of the season.
Hamilton would get a great opportunity to tie the game with 12:30 remaining in the first half, but Jumbo senior goalie Phoebe Hanley (Mamaroneck, NY) dipped down to push away a bid by Continental first-year Hannah Withiam (Greenwich, CT).
Tufts extended its lead when junior Sophie Wojtasinski (Duxbury, MA) intercepted a ball in the Hamilton end and drilled a shot from the right side off the field that deflected in off the far post in the 39th minute.
Less than four minutes into the second half, the Jumbos went up 3-0 on Lincoln and Aronchick's corner connection. Aronchick headed the ball into the lower right corner for her first college goal.
Tufts junior keeper Kristin Wright (Austin, TX), who entered in the second half, made two key stops to help the Jumbos maintain their comfortable lead. Both Withiam (three shots on goal for the Continentals) and senior Alexandra Rimmer (Rye, NY) had dangerous chances for Hamilton that Wright squelched.
In the 87th minute, Lincoln and Aronchick put the icing on the cake. A set piece from the right side by Lincoln was knocked in by Aronchick for a 4-0 final margin.
Shots were even at nine apiece overall, while the Continentals had a 6-2 advantage in corners. Hamilton's Liza Gergenti (Warwick, NY) finished with four saves, while Hanley (one save) and Wright (five) combined on the host's seventh shutout of the season. Tufts has blanked five of its last six opponents and is 3-1-2 in that stretch.
The Jumbos (4-6-3, 2-6-1 NESCAC) need to defeat Bowdoin at Kraft on Tuesday, and then hope for some other favorable results in the league next week to get in to the post-season. Hamilton (8-4-1, 5-4-1) plays at Utica in its regular-season finale on Tuesday.
Match statistics
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