MEDFORD - A late goal by sophomore Pernilla Shaw with eight minutes left in the game broke a 1-1 tie to give the visiting Colby College Mules a 2-1 victory over Tufts in a NESCAC field hockey game on Saturday afternoon.
On the game-winning goal, the ball was knocked out of the circle by a Tufts defender and came to Charlotte Epker who sent it bak in and Shaw was able to get a stick to it and put it into the net for her second goal of the season. The Mules then held off the Jumbos for the upset.
The Jumbos got on the board first as Reegan McCluskey scored off a penalty corner feed from Mia D'Angelo. The corner came after Kylie Rosenquest made a good run down the left side where she beat a couple of Mule defenders before she was tripped in the circle. The goal with 3:22 left the first quarter was McCluskey's fourth of the season.
With a little over nine minutes left in the second quarter, Colby tied the game at 1. The play started when Lillian Kistner picked up the ball on the right wing and was able to cross it into the circle. The ball found Hig Sevigny in front of the net and she was able to turn and put it into the back of the cage. The goal was Sevigny's first of the season. The rest of the first half was controlled by the Jumbos, but they couldn't find another goal and the half ended tied at one apiece.
In the third quarter the Jumbos had several good looks, but Colby goalie Emily Loeb made some outstanding saves to deny Tufts. The first was off a corner where the ball found McCluskey again, but Loeb was able to stop it and the Mules cleared it. With about seven minutes left in the third, Tufts had another good chance off of a corner as Lainie Pearson had an opportunity on the right wing, but her shot just went wide of the net. The third quarter would end 1-1.
The fourth quarter started off good for the Jumbos as they were attacking well, but then about halfway through the quarter Colby started to go on the offensive which led to them scoring the go-ahead goal. Earlier for the Mules, Kistner was able to find Casey Winslow in the circle, but her shot was saved by Tufts keeper Sam Gibby. After Colby took the lead, Tufts had a corner with four minutes on the clock and again it was McCluskey who took the shot, but Loeb saved it again, which was her ninth of the game.
In the game, Tufts out-shot Colby 18-4 with 10 of the shots going on goal compared to three for Hamilton. The Jumbos had an advantage in corners 7-2. Colby goalie Loeb had a great day as she saved nine of the 10 shots on goal she saw. Gibby for the Jumbos saved one shot.
This was Colby's first win against Tufts in field hockey since 2003. The Jumbos had beaten the Mules the previous 19 times.
Tufts is now 7-2 on the season and 5-1 in conference play. The Jumbos will have a conference game next as they face Trinity College at home on Sunday at 12 PM. The win moves Colby to 4-4 on the season and 1-4 in conference play. They will be on the road on Tuesday at 7 PM against Thomas College.
Written by Ryan Daly, Athletic Communications Intern
