ROCHESTER, NY (October 8, 2023) – Junior
Claire Gavin scored two goals and assisted another leading the fifth-ranked Tufts University field hockey team to a 3-2 win at the University of Rochester on a rain-soaked Sunday afternoon in upstate New York.
This one was a tale of two halves. After neither team managed to put a shot on goal in the first 30 minutes, they combined for five goals in the second half. Tufts (8-2) would overcome a 1-0 deficit against the Yellowjackets (8-5) as Gavin assisted
Lainie Pearson for the eventual game-winner with 10 minutes remaining in regulation.
Tufts had three corners in the first half, and Rochester had one. Jumbo senior
Andrea DelGiudice had a shot blocked during a corner in the middle of the second quarter, and that was the only shot attempt of the first half.
The hosts would be the first to change the tempo a little over five minutes into the second half. Zoe Conomikes went in alone on Tufts keeper
Lydia Eastburn, who made the save. However, Bella Militi was there to poke in the rebound for a 1-0 Yellowjacket lead.
Tufts tied it quickly with Gavin's first goal of the game on the team's first shot on goal 1:34 later. She deftly intercepted a lifted clear attempt by a Yellowjacket defender, took the ball into the circle and drilled it home to tie the score 1-1.
With the game headed into the fourth tied 1-1, Gavin made it 2-1 two minutes in. From the right side,
Kylie Rosenquest sent a pass into the middle of the circle that deflected off
Hannah Biccard's stick. Gavin was right there and again blasted one home.
The Jumbos opened up a 3-1 margin less than three minutes later with Gavin taking the ball into the right side of the circle and firing a bouncy pass to Pearson was able to tap it in.
Tufts needed that third goal, as Rochester would close the margin to 3-2 with 3:17 remaining in the fourth quarter. Yellowjacket Delainey Hebble intercepted the ball on a Tufts restart. Her pass from outside the circle perfectly found Anya Arseneau who had slipped behind the Jumbo defense and directed the ball into the cage.
Eastburn made four saves in the Jumbo cage, including three during a run of corner opportunities that Rochester had before they scored their second goal.
The hosts finished with advantages of 8-5 in shots (6-3 on net) and 7-4 in corners.
Tufts hits the road again up to the University of New England in Biddefore, Maine for more non-league action on Wednesday.
--JUMBOS--
