MEDFORD, MA (November 11, 2023) -- The Tufts University women's soccer team opens play in the 2023 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament Saturday afternoon, as the Jumbos travel to The College of New Jersey to battle Franklin & Marshall College in play from Ewing, NJ. The Jumbos finished their regular season 7-5-4 overall, but played a very strong schedule and were selected by the NCAA Committee as one of the 23 Pool C bids into the dance.
Game Details
2023 NCAA Tournament Ewing Site Homepage
Opponent: vs. Franklin & Marshall (12-3-4)
Date: Saturday, November 11, 2023
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Location: Ewing, NJ - Lions Stadium (
Directions)
Live Coverage:
LIVE STATS –
LIVE VIDEO
Looking At the Jumbos (7-4-5)
The NCAA held its selection show for the upcoming Division III Womens Soccer Tournament on Monday November 6, the Jumbos Women Soccer team got the best news of the year as they got selected to play in the Tournament. The last game the Jumbo's Women's Soccer Team played was in the first round of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) playoffs on October 28, the Jumbos fell to Amherst College 3-1.
Tufts is making its 10th NCAA appearance, fifth appearance since 2017. Last season, The Jumbos earned a NCAA First Round win over Denison University before falling to William Smith College in the NCAA Second Round.
This year the Jumbos were led by the talented sophomore forward
Elsi Aires. Aires was just tabbed to the NESCAC All-Conference Team as she posted a team leading eight goals and four assists for 20 points over 16 games played.
The Jumbos also got scoring from senior forward Thalia Greenburg. Greenburg was selected to the NESCAC All-Conference Second team. She posted six goals and two assists for 14 points. On the backend for the Jumbos standout senior defender
Olivia Patz led Tufts 1375 minutes and playing 12 90-minute games this year. In goal for the Jumbos is freshman
Gigi Edwards. Edwards started in 12 games this year recording 13 goals against, 46 saves with a .780 save percentage.
The Jumbos Womens soccer team is 10-1-1 playing against non-NESCAC teams over the past two seasons.
Looking at the Diplomats (12-3-4)
For just the second time in program history, the Diplomats are back in the NCAA Tournament after earning an at-large bid on Monday. F&M's first-ever appearance in the tournament came just two seasons ago in 2021, where the Diplomats downed Western Connecticut State, 2-1, before falling to Christopher Newport, 1-0, in the second round. Franklin & Marshall will look to continue building onto its remarkable season after making a deep conference tournament run that saw the Diplomats face Johns Hopkins in the Centennial Conference Championship game.
The Diplomats have been led offensively by Lillian Williams and her 20 points on eight goals and four assists, while Mikaela Timmermans has added six goals and seven assists. Alison Francis is second on the squad with six assists, and Bri Skidmore has tallied seven goals in 19 games. Lucille Fleming has played all but 90 minutes in goal for the Diplomats, allowing just 12 goals as the team has posted 12 shutouts.
F&M was 6-1-2 in non-conference games this season, and Saturday will be its first neutral site game of the season.
Looking at TCNJ & JWU
TCNJ (The College of New Jersey) Woman's Soccer team enters tournament with a record of 15-2-1. The Lions won the NJAC (New Jersey Athletic Conference) last Friday, defeating Rowan University 2-0. The Lions are coached by Danny Blake who is in his first year with TCNJ. The Lions are led by junior star Victoria D'Imperio who was named the NJAC Mid Fielder of the Year. D'Imperio scored an NJAC leading 18 goals and posted 6 assists for 42 points. This is the Lions 31st appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
JWU enters the tournament with a record of 18-2-3. The Wildcats recently won GNAC tournament beating Emmaneul College 2-1, making it four straight GNAC titles. The Wildcats are coached by Chris Flint. Flint took over for the Wildcats in 2015 and has led them to four GNAC Championships. WU is led by junior defender Emily DeRoehn. She posted 12 goals and 3 assists for 27 points. She was also named to the GNAC All-Conference team with her teammate Sophia Warburton, who posted 10 goals 7 assists for 27 points.
Against F&M, TCNJ and JWU
Saturday will be the first meeting for Tufts against Franklin & Marshall College, while the Jumbos are 1-0 against Johnson & Wales University and 1-2 against TCNJ. The Jumbos defeated JSU 3-0 back in 2005, while Tufts and TCNJ has some history going back to 2000. In the first meeting between the two teams, Tufts hosted the national title match against the Lions on Kraft Field, falling to TCNJ 2-1. Five years later, Tufts would drop a 3-0 decision in the NCAA Final Four, but knocked off the Lions 2-0 in 2019 in the NCAA Second Round in New Jersey.
--JUMBOS--
