CLINTON, NY (March 16, 2024) -- The No. 3 Tufts University women's lacrosse team posted a program-record 12 goals in the opening period against No. 23 Hamilton College Saturday, coasting to a 21-9 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) win on Stueben Field.
The 12 goals were the most since NCAA Women's Lacrosse switched to quarters in 2022, eclipsing the 11 against Emmanuel in the opening quarter back on April 20, 2022. The 12 goals were also the most in a period since chalking up 13 in the second half against Cabrini University on May 9, 2021.
The 21 goals on the day were also a season-high for the Jumbos (6-0, 3-0 NESCAC), marking the third time this season Tufts has reached 20 goals for a game. Tufts currently has the second-best scoring offensive unit in Division III lacrosse, averaging 19.8 goals per game after Saturday.
The offense was able to get going consistently thanks to a dominating 9-3 edge in the first quarter at the draw circle, as the Jumbos led 3-0 through just 2:40 of the game after a goal from junior
Ella Lesperance. The lead continued to grow as Tufts tallied three more over a 78 second stretch, highlighted by a behind-the-back goal from sophomore
Allie Zorn.
Minutes later, junior All-American defender
Kathryn Fernandopulle scored her first career tally on a free-position shot to make the score 7-0, and then another five-goal spurt to end the quarter put the running clock in motion for the remainder of the game. The Jumbos scored on all 12 shots they took in the first quarter.
Tufts would outscore Hamilton (3-1, 2-1 NESCAC) 4-2 in the second quarter to take a 16-2 edge into the halftime intermission. After the break,
Emma Joyce scored a pair of woman-up goals, and senior
Caroline Sapir got her first of the season to help put the game away for Tufts.
Lesperance finished with three goals and three assists Saturday, while
Margie Carden posted four goals on four shots on goal, also tallying two assists. Carden is now sixth on the all-time goal scoring list at Tufts with 162, just two behind Kim Zinman '92 for fifth place. Carden is also four points shy of 10th place on the all-time points list as she has 196 after her six Saturday.
Joyce finished with four goals, an assist and three draw controls, while Zorn rattled off five points on three goals and two assists.
Caroline Cromwell and
Elsa Schutt also registered two goals apiece, as Schutt also record three draw controls and two ground balls.
Junior
Genna Gibbons had another strong game in the circle with five draw controls, adding a ground ball as the Jumbos held a 21-9 edge in draws for the game. Junior
Pascale de Buren recorded three saves to earn the win in her 30 minutes of action, while first-year
Sophie Powless came off the bench to stop six shots in the second half.
Tufts outshot their hosts 26-23 on the day, while also turning the ball over just 10 times. The Jumbos were a perfect 4-for-4 on free-position attempts on Saturday, while being successful on all 13 clear attempts.
Julia Lee scored three times for the Continentals, while Meghan Lane also tallied twice to go with an assist and five draw controls.
Tufts has a week off before returning to Bello Field for non-conference play March 23 at 1 p.m. against Western Connecticut State University.
--JUMBOS--
