Box Score AMHERST - Junior
Erin Duncan's electric start to the season continued as her goal in the 25th minute led the #19 Jumbo women's soccer team to another exciting victory, 2-0 at fourth-ranked Amherst College, on Saturday afternoon.
In an in-conference battle at Hitchcock Field, the Jumbos' defense and goalie tandem once again shined bright against the Mammoths. The two NESCAC teams both came into today's matchup with records of 3-0, each starting off the season on a tear. The game was a battle between the two undefeated teams, and featured some exciting scoring chances and huge defensive stands throughout the match.
In a familiar scene, it was Tufts forward
Erin Duncan who was able to break the scoreless tie in the 25th minute. She was subbed into the game just four minutes before the goal. Duncan netted her fourth goal of the year, and has been the leading scorer for the Jumbos offense thus far into the season. The shot came off a great scoring chance in which the Tufts forwards were able to escape into the Amherst box and cap off an epic scoring chance. Duncan has been the spark to electrify several Tufts scoring opportunities this season, and once again today she was able to propel the Jumbos offense in front with her team-leading fourth goal.
The game remained a 1-0 nail-biter until late in the second half. Amherst had some close opportunities to tie up the score, specifically on a play in the 62nd minute in which forward Alexa Juarez launched a shot just high of the net off of a dangerous chance. That shot was one of 10 for the Mammoths in the second half alone.
Eventually, the Jumbos nailed the dagger with a late goal from
Caroline O'Neill with just 13 minutes remaining in the game. The goal came off of a free kick following an untimely Amherst handball in their own end. O'Neill sent a ball into the middle of the field off of the free kick, and it trickled its way into the net to give the Jumbos a comfortable 2-0 lead late in the game.
The goalkeeping tandem of
Hayley Bernstein and
Kaelin Logue once again provided another shutout for the Jumbos, already their third of the season. Bernstein made one save in the first half, and Logue made five clutch saves in the second half. The combo of the two seniors in net has proved to be an effective strategy for the Jumbos as they improve to 4-0 on the season.
As far as totals in the game go, the Mammoths led in shots attempted with 14 as opposed to the Jumbos' 10. Amherst goalkeeper Mika Gisher finished with four saves. Amherst led in corner kicks, as they had seven compared to Tufts' two. Tufts committed more fouls in the contest, as they had nine compared to Amherst's seven.
The Jumbos (4-0) look to stay hot in their next contest tomorrow at Williams College, again at 12 pm. The Mammoths (3-1) will look to bounce back from their first loss of the season on Tuesday when they will take on Emerson College at 7 pm.
Written by Lucas Wlodarczyk, Athletic Communications Intern
