MEDFORD, MA (March 13, 2024) -- Behind a balanced attack and a dominant defensive performance, the No. 3 Tufts University women's lacrosse team stayed undefeated with an emphatic 19-4 home non-conference win over No. 24 Cortland in play from Bello Field Wednesday afternoon.
The Jumbos (5-0) saw 12 players net goals on the day, as Tufts outshot their visitors 39-12 for the contest. Defensively, Tufts forced Cortland into 21 turnovers for the game including seven in the transition game. On the other hand the Jumbos were a perfect 17-of-17 on clear attempts, coupled with a decided 18-8 edge in draw controls.
Tufts actually trailed early after Nicole Ioponce netted her seventh goal of the season for Cortland (2-3), but the Jumbos responded with seven straight to finish the opening quarter highlighted by two goals from junior
Margie Carden. The Jumbos led 5-1 with 1:20 to go in the first stanza, but
Elsa Schutt and
Allie Zorn tallied 14 seconds apart just before the end of the quarter to make it 7-1 after one.
The offensive run would continue into the second quarter, as
Emma Joyce and
Allie Zorn scored to make it 9-1 with 11:03 remaining in the second quarter. After Iaponce scored again for the Red Dragons, senior
Lucy Hodge scored her first of the season to put the Jumbos into double digits. Tufts ended up taking a 12-2 lead into the break, as Carden tallied her third goal of the game with the man-advantage on a set-up by Zorn.
The running clock would be in effect for the rest of the game in the second half, but the goals continued to come as
Kate Deehan netted a score followed by scores from Joyce and
Alexa Amorosino to make it 15-3 after three quarters. First-year
Schuyler Lloyd sandwiched a pair of goals between another from Amorosino, and sophomore
Sadie Dodson tallied a man-down goal to finish the scoring for Tufts on the afternoon.
Zorn finished with a team-high six points, including a personal-best four assists, while Schutt tallied career-highs in goals and assists with two each. Joyce, Amorosino and Lloyd also added two goals apiece offensively, and
Madeline Delaney finished with a goal and two draw controls.
Genna Gibbons was strong on the circle with seven draw controls, two ground balls and a caused turnovers, while
Kathryn Fernandopulle tallied a career-high six caused turnovers to go with a team-best four ground balls.
Caroline Conaghan also finished with three ground balls for Tufts, which posted a 26-14 edge in total loose ball pick-ups. Junior
Pascale de Buren made three saves between the pipes in getting the win, while first-year
Sophie Powless played the entire fourth quarter making two stops.
Margaret Morgan posted five saves for the Red Dragons in 41 minutes of play, while Trinity Parks came off the bench to stop four shots in relief.
The Jumbos will hop back into New England Small Conference Athletic Conference (NESCAC) action this weekend, heading to Clinton, NY to take on No. 23 Hamilton College Saturday, March 16 at 10 a.m.
--JUMBOS--
