Box Score MEDFORD - The 2-0 Tufts women's soccer team avenged last season's 2-1 loss to MIT with another stellar shutout performance, claiming victory over the 4-0 and 15th ranked Engineers by a score of 4-0. Four different Jumbos scored and freshman Mariah Harvey-Brown once again lit it up in the assist column as she dished out two more today to bring her season total to five.
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| Eileen McGarry stopped five shots for the Jumbos and earned her second shutout of the year |
The Jumbos wasted no time in getting on the score board as sophomore Jess Capone received a thru ball from senior Alex Farris on the left side of the box and put it past MIT goaltender Lauren Ullmann just eight minutes into the game. It was the first points of the season for both Capone and Farris and it was the first goal of the season conceded by MIT.
Later in the half, MIT midfielder Michelle Battipaglia produced a great strike on the ball from five yards outside the 18 that climbed over the outstretched fingertips of Jumbo goalie Eileen McGarry, but it bounced off the underside of the cross bar and narrowly missed landing on the inside of the Tufts goal line.
In the 23rd minute, Tufts converted again. This time, it was a well-struck corner kick from senior Carla Kruyff that found the head of senior Catharine Greer, whose 5'10" frame rose above the Engineers defense to nail the ball with her head into the the back of the net. It was Greer's second goal of the season.
Down 2-0, MIT ramped up their attack, winning a couple set pieces in the Jumbos' zone, but to no avail. MIT senior forward Ambika Krishnamachar was a force down the left wing all half as she used her speed to race past defenders. Before the end of the half, she made a run with the ball, cut inside with the ball on her right foot and drilled a shot towards the lower left that McGarry turned aside. Tufts was able to survive the barrage and went into the break up 2-0.
The second half began the way the first half did, with a Tufts goal before ten minutes had gone by. For their third score of the game, Harvey-Brown picked off a back pass and dribbled to the middle of the field eventually finding a cutting Allie Weiller who drove the ball into the netting for her second goal of the year. MIT countered with a dangerous attempt, but McGarry again came up with a save and the Jumbos staved off the offensive attack.
Krishnamachar continued to create chances for herself in the second half, but she was unable to convert.
The Jumbos found the net one last time in the 85th minute off Harvey-Brown's second assist of the game as sophomore Sarah Pykkonen got onto the end of it and touched it past Ullman for her second of the year.
Despite an injury to junior defender Nicole Campellone prior to the contest and a mid-game injury sustained by captain Greer, the Jumbo defense produced a strong showing behind great play from sophomore Alexa Pius, senior Victoria Stoj, sophomore Stefanie Brunswick, and freshman Chandler Quinton. Senior Carla Kruyff and sophomore Robin Estus controlled the midfield for the Jumbos.
Ullmann and McGarry had five saves apiece in goal. MIT defender Julia Goupil played solid physical defense in front of Ullmann.
The ten-goal output is the most in a two-game span for the Jumbos since the 1999 season when they scored three against Trinity and nine against Curry in back-to-back contests. Tufts hopes to contine their offesnive firepower when they put both their undefeated and shutout streaks on the line at NESCAC opponent Colby on Saturday at 12:30 pm.
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