SALISBURY, MD (March 22, 2023) -- Junior
Emma Joyce tallied 1:04 into overtime on a free position shot to lift the No. 4 Tufts University women's lacrosse team to a thrilling 11-10 victory over No. 6 Salisbury University in non-conference play from Sea Gull Stadium Wednesday afternoon.
It was a good response for the Jumbos after dropping its first game of the season on Saturday to No. 2 Washington & Lee University, as Tufts stormed out of the gate with the first two goals by
Madeline Delaney and
Kate Deehan to take a 2-0 lead. Both scores came from the 8-meter arc for Tufts. Erin Scannell would get the Sea Gulls (5-3) on the board at 7:14 of the first quarter, but Tufts came right back to regain its two-goal lead after
Allie Zorn found Delaney right in front for the score.
The host Sea Gulls would battle back with the final two goals of the first period to tie the game at three, as Meridith Price and Leah Vilov netted scores for the hosts.
The second quarter would be largely dominated by the Jumbos, who outscored their hosts 4-1 in the period. Joyce scored off a nifty pass from sophomore
Margie Carden 3:25 into the quarter, as Joyce got free inside the eight-meter arc and beat the SU keeper up high for the goal. After a good stop defensively, Tufts went back up by two as Joyce this time played distributor, feeding
Caroline Conaghan who fired home on a low bouncer to make it 5-3.
The momentum stayed with Tufts as first-year
Allie Zorn scored a highlight goal inside, going low with a shovel shot after a great look inside from
Kate Mastrobuono. Carden pushed the Tufts lead up to a game-high four goals moments later, getting free and beating the goalkeeper with four fakes to up the Jumbo edge to 7-3. Salisbury got a goal back just before halftime, as Tufts led 7-4 at the break.
In the third,
Caroline Walter netted her first of the day unassisted to make it 8-4 but back-to-back goals by the Sea Gulls pulled the hosts back to within two. The Jumbos went right back ahead by three, as Conaghan was fouled and converted on a free-position attempt to send the game to the fourth quarter with Tufts up three at 9-6.
Salisbury started to creep back into the game early in the fourth, as Miranda Mears tallied 75 seconds into the frame to pull within two at 9-7. The Jumbos had a few good chances but couldn't convert and Emma Skoglund made it 9-8 with an unassisted goal with 5:28 to go. After a timeout, Walter gave Tufts its two-goal edge back, firing home on a free-position attempt to force a Sea Gull timeout.
Tufts got the next draw control and ran some time off the clock, but a Carden attempt was stopped and Salisbury converted on its next possession to make it 10-9 with 1:35 to go. Salisbury wasted no time tying the game, winning the draw control and getting a goal from Riley Hartman for the equalizer. Both teams had chances late in regulation, but the contest would go to an extra session.
The Jumbos got the opening draw control by
Grace Frerichs, and Joyce had a great look off a drive on the right alley but the attempt was blocked. After a ground ball, Joyce isolated up top and drew a shooting space call with 1:57 left in the first overtime. Joyce stepped to the arc and fired home on the right side to give the Jumbos the win. It was Joyce's first game-winner of the season, and her team-leading five free-position goal of the year.
Delaney and Joyce each finished with three points apiece with two goals and an assist, while Joyce tallied two ground balls and a game-high 12 draw controls. The 12 draw wins was a career-high, and the most in a game of any Jumbo this season. Walter added two goals and two ground balls, while Conaghan tallied two goals as well. Frerichs had her best game of the season for the Jumbos, finishing with four caused turnovers and three ground balls, while
Genna Gibbons added three caused turnovers as well.
Senior
Mary Grace Reynolds also collected two loose balls for the Jumbos, who forced 16 turnovers in the game and outshot their hosts 29-25. Tufts also excelled at the eight-meter arc Wednesday, scoring on 5-of-7 free position attempts on goal.
Courtney Kaufman and
Pascale de Buren combined for six saves in the game for Tufts.
Salisbury got five points on three goals and two assists from Skoglund, and Scannell tallied twice as well. Kaitlyn Hunsinger worked all 61:04 between the pipes for the Sea Gulls, making 12 saves.
Tufts will be back on the road Saturday, March 25 at noon, taking on No. 17 Trinity College (CT) in Hartford for New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play.
--JUMBOS--
