MEDFORD, MA (March 23, 2024) -- The No. 3 Tufts University women's lacrosse team was once again strong on both sides of the field, scoring a season-high 22 goals while allowing a season-low two tallies in earning a 22-2 non-conference victory over visiting Western Connecticut State University in play from Bello Field Saturday.
The 22 goals are the most in a regular season game since chalking up a 22-0 win over Emmanuel College back on April 20, 2022. The two goals allowed were also the fewest since that same Emmanuel contest, as the Jumbos saw junior attacker
Margie Carden tally her 200th point as a Jumbo with four points Saturday. Carden became just the 10th player all-time to reach that plateau for the Jumbos, and is now tied for ninth all-time in points with Kim Zinman '92 and her 200 points. She also moved into fifth all-time in goals with 165, also passing Zinman and her 164 on the program's goal list.
Tufts scored 45 seconds into the game to take a 1-0 lead on a goal from Carden, set up by
Ella Lesperance, which started a 4-0 run over the first 10 minutes that finished with a goal from sophomore
Kate Deehan. WestConn (4-3) got on the board at 1:41 of the first quarter on a strange deflection goal from Madison Ratchford, but that would be final time the Wolves would score in the first half.
As the Tufts defense continued to clamp down, the offense continued to pour in the goals with six unanswered in the second quarter to take a 10-1 lead into the halftime intermission. Tufts' run of 10 straight goals bled into the third quarter as before the Wolves stopped the run at 5:34 of the third quarter. The depth of Tufts was on display though in the fourth, as the Jumbos scored seven goals including the first career goal from
Grace Hammond to cruise to the victory.
In all, 13 Tufts' players scored on Saturday while 15 got onto the scoresheet. Carden and Zorn each finished with three goals and an assist for four points, while Lesperance also contributed four points on two goals and two assists. Junior
Kate Mastrobuono scored twice and dished out an assist, while Deehan, Joyce and
Alexa Amorosino all netted a pair of goals in the win.
Senior
Caroline Sapir and newcomer
Sophia Claps each scored once and handed out an assist, as Tufts outshot their visitors 53-8 on the day. That shot total included an 8-for-18 free-position shot total, as Zorn scored on three of her five attempts. Senior
Lucy Hodge also posted two assists in the win for Tufts, while was a perfect 19-for-19 on clear attempts while earning a 19-8 edge in draw controls.
Defensively, goalkeeper
Pascale de Buren wasn't tested much but made three stops in 45 minutes while first-year Sophia Powless worked a scoreless fourth quarter between the pipes. Junior
Kathryn Fernandopulle continued her masterful work with team-highs of four caused turnovers and seven ground balls, and first-years
Emily Leschin and
Schuyler Lloyd each added three draw wins and a ground ball. Hammond picked up two draw wins in addition to her first collegiate goal.
WestConn goalkeeper Molly Presnahan made 16 saves in goal for the Wolves, and Vicky Gracy finished with a goal and assist.
Tufts will not have much time to rest, heading up to Beverly, MA on Sunday afternoon for another non-conference tilt against Endicott College (3-4) at 1 p.m. at Hempstead Stadium.
--JUMBOS--
