MIDDLETOWN, Conn. - The #19 nationally ranked Tufts Women's Soccer team was able to take down the #10 ranked Wesleyan Cardinals 2-0 on Tuesday afternoon thanks to clutch second-half goals by Thalia Greenberg and Caroline O'Neill.
The game was a scoreless battle through the first half, but the chances were certainly there for both teams. Tufts entered the half with eight shots on net, and Wesleyan had two more with 10. However, nobody was able to bust through, as the goalkeepers and defenses were able to thwart any attempts that arose. Tufts' Hayley Bernstein was stellar in net in the first half, making four saves.
The second half started with a lot more pace, as both Tufts and Wesleyan had some great scoring chances on net early on. However, it was the Jumbos that would finally break through and score on a loose ball in front of the net. Claire Wilkinson started the play in the 54th minute by sending a shot off the top of the crossbar, and the loose ball eventually made its way to Jordan Cushner, who passed it to Greenberg, and Greenberg was able to tap it into the back of the net for the first goal of the afternoon.
Soon after, in the 70th minute, Tufts was able to add to its lead with a great corner kick by Caroline O'Neill, who curled the ball into the net on her shot. The 2-0 lead was all the Jumbos needed to bring down the #10 ranked team in the nation.
Tufts once again made their now signature goalie switch at half, when Kaelin Logue came in to relieve Hayley Bernstein and had four saves to hang on for Tufts' second consecutive shutout over a NESCAC opponent. The Jumbos have made their halftime goalie switch in all three games, and so far it has worked out to their advantage with just one goal allowed in the first three games of the season.
The Cardinals ended the game with a lead in shots taken, as they had 22 with eight on net as opposed to the Jumbos' 17 with five on net. They also led Tufts in the corner kicks taken category, with six as opposed to Tufts' four. However, the Tufts tandem goalies were what made the ultimate difference in the game, as they combined for eight saves as opposed to the Cardinals' three. Wesleyan committed slightly more fouls than the Jumbos did, as they had seven while Tufts only had six.
The Jumbos (3-0, 2-0 NESCAC) will look to carry the momentum from this hot start forward with them in their next matchup, again in-conference, in Amherst on Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, the Cardinals (2-1, 1-1) will look to bounce back against the University of Hartford, also on Saturday afternoon.
Written by Lucas Wlodarczyk, Tufts Athletics Communications intern.
