MEDFORD, MA (March 9, 2024) -- The No. 4 Tufts University women's lacrosse team went on a 14-0 run from midway into the first quarter through seven minutes into the third quarter, cruising to a 20-6 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) win over No. 13 Trinity College in play from Bello Field.
The 14-0 run was over 28:08 of game time for the Jumbos, as junior
Margie Carden tallied four goals while junior
Ella Lesperance chalked up two goals and five helpers in the span. The spurt was also spurned by a domination in the draw control circle as Tufts chalked a 21-8 mark for the contest led by the seven apiece from senior
Madeline Delaney and junior
Genna Gibbons.
The Bantams started fast though on Saturday, as the visitors took a quick 2-0 lead after a pair of goals from Molly McGuckin three minutes into the contest. Lesperance got the Jumbos (4-0, 2-0 NESCAC) on the board on a free position shot, followed by a
Caroline Conaghan free position tally to deadlock the game at two at 10:13. Grace Denious would put Trinity (1-1, 1-1 NESCAC) back on top with her second of the season at 6:38 of the first quarter, but 14 seconds later Lesperance scored off the draw control with help from Delaney to tie the game again at three.
From that point on Tufts dominated, as
Kate Deehan put the hosts on top for good with a helper off a beautiful feed from Lesperance to start the 14-0 run. The spurt included a 7-0 second quarter for the Jumbos, who outshot their visitors 13-4 in the period while Carden tallied with 40 seconds to go in the half to put the running clock in motion. The entire second half would be played with the clock on the move, as Tufts led by as much as 15 after an
Alexa Amorosino goal with 10:40 to play in regulation.
Lesperance set a new career-high with five assists, also posting a personal-best eight points while tallying three goals as well. Carden led the Jumbos with four goals, two ground balls and one caused turnover, while Delaney posted four points on three assists and a goal. Sophomore
Allie Zorn was once again dynamic with three goals, an assist and two ground balls, while junior
Kate Mastrobuono came off the bench to record a goal and two helpers.
Elsa Schutt also scored and picked up five draw controls, while first-year
Schuyler Lloyd tallied two draw controls, a goal, an assist and a ground ball.
Conaghan and Amorosino each also scored on both of their shot attempts, and
Grace Frerichs registered her first goal of the season. Defensively,
Kathryn Fernandopulle was stellar with three ground balls and two caused turnovers, and junior goalkeeper
Pascale de Buren stopped seven shots while playing the entire 60 minutes. It was also a special day for the Jumbos as they celebrated "Scooter's Game," as defenders
Meg Hatton and
Kate Wujciak wore No. 2 for the game, the first time anyone has worn No. 2 since Madie Nicpon.
Denious and McGuckin each had three points in the loss for the Bantams.
Tufts will be back in action on Wednesday evening at 4 p.m., hosting No. 23 Cortland on Bello Field in non-conference play.
--JUMBOS--
