MEDFORD, MA (October 4, 2023) – Visiting Wesleyan University came out strong in overtime and earned a penalty stroke that Helen Deretchin converted giving the #21 Cardinals a 2-1 victory at #5 Tufts University Wednesday night at Ounjian Field.
The Jumbos, now 7-2 overall, took their first NESCAC loss (5-1). At the end of regulation, Tufts had out-shot the Cardinals (7-2, 4-1) by a 15-2 count and had seven corners to Wesleyan's zero.
However, the visitors controlled the overtime period with four shots and three corners. On the last corner, a shot by Wesleyan's Kenzie Kelly went off the leg of a Tufts defender in front of the cage and a stroke was awarded. Deretchin put her shot inside the left post for the victory with 4:33 on the clock.
Audrey Pierce was strong in goal for the Cardinals. Tufts had seven shots and three corners in the first quarter, but Pierce made three saves to keep the game scoreless. The best stop came on a Tufts corner when Pierce stuck her stick out flat on the turf to stop a shot by the Jumbos'
Gabby Sousa in the middle of the frame.
Despite Tufts' dominating play, it was Wesleyan who took a 1-0 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the half. A back-handed shot from the outside by Kelly got through to the front of the goal and Jumbo keeper
Lydia Eastburn came out to block it. The rebound off her pads was whacked by Cardinal Sarah Porter and the ball bounced to the post. Georgia Adams was the first one to it and she tapped it in for her 10
th of the season.
The Cardinals took the 1-0 lead to halftime, but Tufts would tie it barely two minutes into the third quarter.
Claire Gavin took a long pass and beat a defender at the 23-meter line, then drove into the circle and blasted a shot past Pierce to even the game at 1-1.
Pierce made four saves in the third to help keep the score tied before the teams played a tightly contested fourth quarter. The Cardinals were able to switch the momentum and win it in OT.
For the final statistics, Tufts had advantages of 15-6 in shots and 7-3 in corners. Pierce finished the night with seven saves, while Eastburn recorded three for the Jumbos.
Tufts will play next on Sunday at the University of Rochester.
--JUMBOS--
