Box Score MEDFORD – Following a strong first half, the No.2 Tufts University women's lacrosse team cruised to a 19-9 win over MIT on Wednesday night at Bello Field.
With the win, the Jumbos improve to 2-0 on the season while the engineers fall to 1-2.
Tufts jumped on the board early as junior Kirsten Grazewski scored just 30 seconds in. Sophomore Anna Clarke continued the offensive attack as she doubled the Jumbo lead just 22 seconds later. Sophomore Colette Smith earned assists on both goals. The Brown and Blue added five more goals before the 20-minute mark with goals coming from junior Catherine Lawliss, senior Emily Games, sophomore Kathryn Delaney, and Smith.
The offense would slow down, but sophomore Mae Briody kept the scoring in Tufts' favor. She forced a turnover in the attacking end and beat Engineer goalkeeper, Abigail Kolyer, which gave the 'Bos an 8-0 lead with 17:50 remaining in the half.
A goal by MIT's Shannon Wing got the Engineers on the board but Tufts recorded the next five goals starting with a pair of goals by Lawliss and Smith. That was followed up by a pair of free position goals by Games and freshman Caroline Walter. Smith closed out the Tufts run before Trudy Painter got the scoring in MIT's favor in the closing minutes of the first half. Tufts held a 13-2 lead at the intermission.
Keeping the momentum in their favor, the Engineers recorded four straight goals to open the second half. Lindsey Gambino, Painter, Wing, and Ellie Rabenold cut the lead to 13-6. However, the Jumbos recorded three goals in less than one minute as Smith and Lawliss scored and assisted on each other's goals. A free position goal by Smith earned Tufts a 16-6 lead.
An up-goal by Naomi Lutz got the lead down to single digits but Lawliss and Smith recorded the next three goals in just over two minutes. Emma Tauckus and Lutz recorded goals in the closing minutes as the Jumbos earned a 19-9 win.
Smith led all players with 10 points, coming from seven goals and three assists. Lawliss helped pace the offense with four goals and three assists for seven points. Games earned three goals and an assist for four points.
Lutz, Wing, and Painter tallied two goals each. Rabenold had two points with one goal and one assist to lead the Engineers.
Sophomore Molly Laliberty earned the win as she made one save on three shots on goal in one half of work. Freshman Courtney Kaufman played the second have for the Jumbos and she made two saves on nine shots on goal. Laliberty improves to 2-0 on the season.
Kolyer falls to 1-2 after making 10 saves on 29 shots on goal.
Tufts gained possession early and often as they won 24 of 30 draw controls. The Jumbos were 4-4 on free position shots while MIT was 1-3.
The Jumbos return to action on Saturday when they head to New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) foe, Amherst College. They are slated to start at 12pm. MIT continues their three-game road trip as they head to Western Connecticut State University for an 11am start.
