Box Score WATERVILLE, Maine - After starting the season with three straight wins, Tufts Women's Soccer had fallen to MIT 3-0 on Tuesday night. In a return to form the Jumbos faced off against NESCAC opponent Colby College who they defeated 6-0 to get back on track Saturday. Graduate student forward Liz Reed finished the game with a hat trick and an assist in one the best performances in her collegiate career. The three goals and seven points tie Tufts single-game records.
The first Tufts goal came after a Colby foul committed right on the half-field line, giving midfielder Lily Sykes a free kick opportunity. Sykes sent the ball over all the defenders and with one bounce right to the head of midfielder Stephanie DiLeo, who made solid contact with her head to give the Jumbos the lead in the eighth minute.
After setting the tone early, Tufts continued to control possession and in the 35th minute Reed, who received the ball on the edge of the box facing away from the goal, made a sharp turn to her left while out-maneuvering the defender and used her left foot to strike a high, arching shot that found the top left corner and put Tufts up 2-0.
The Mules had difficulty getting through the Tufts defense all game, and they only mustered two shots on goal with no clear-cut scoring chances. The Jumbos continued to exploit the Mules' defense and in the 29th minute Claire Wilkinson took another close range shot that beat Colby goalie Emily McMaster, but was blocked by a Mules defender. However, the rebound fell tob DiLeo who used her right foot to score after a series of defensive mistakes by the Mules. The Jumbos finished the half up 3-0.
In the first 10 minutes of the second half, the Jumbos kept up the intensity and made a couple quick give-and-go moves on the right side of the box to set up a dangerous cross that Reed and two other Tufts players had the chance to score on. The ball took a fortunate roll to Reed's foot where she scored from close range in the 52nd minute for a 4-0 lead.
The Jumbos scored again in the 55th minute as midfielder Maddie Pero went for a long range shot that was parried by McMaster right to Reed on the left-hand side of the box. She had time to pick out a flashing Wilkinson for the score. The last goal of the match was scored by Reed, who completed her hat trick at the 70th minute mark when midfielder Margaux Ameer crossed a ball close to the goal that went off the left foot of McMaster and onto the foot of Reed which gave Tufts a 6-0 cushion.
McMaster had a busy day facing 14 shots on goal and saving eight of them. Meanwhile the Jumbos finished with 27 shots, six corners and two assists in a solid performance. Hayley Bernstein started in goal for Tufts and made two saves, sharing the clean sheet with Kaelin Logue who came on in the second half.
Tufts plays Wesleyan (Conn.) on Tuesday, while the Mules seek redemption against the University of Maine at Kent in another home game tomorrow.
Written by Isaac Karp, Athletic Communications Student Assistant
