AMHERST, MA (April 20, 2024) -- The Tufts University women's lacrosse team, currently ranked No. 3 in the latest Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches' Association (IWLCA) Poll, outscored host and No. 14 Amherst College 5-1 in the fourth quarter to open up a close game while earning a 17-12 win in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play from Pratt Field Saturday.
Tufts led for the majority of the game, using a 7-3 advantage in the second frame to take a 10-6 edge into halftime. Amherst (8-6, 4-5 NESCAC) battled back with five goals in the third quarter to make it 12-11 heading into the fourth quarter following a Rachel Rogers score with 2:57 left in the third stanza.
The fourth quarter saw the Jumbos reclaim the momentum, as
Emma Joyce netted an unassisted tally before
Margie Carden,
Ella Lesperance and
Allie Zorn all tallied to make it 16-11 with with a little over five and a half minutes remaining.
After the Mammoths tallied to make it 16-12, Carden netted an unassisted strike with 86 seconds to play to put the game away.
Tufts (12-2, 7-2 NESCAC) was paced by another strong game from Lesperance, who finished with a game-high seven points on three goals and four assists. Lesperance now has five or more points in four of her last five games.
Zorn finished with a team-best four goals, adding two assists, and
Madeline Delaney had a strong game of two goals, two ground balls, a caused turnover and five draw controls. Joyce tallied two goals and three draw controls, while Carden scored twice on six shots.
First-year
Schuyler Lloyd also posted a goal and an assist, and
Elsa Schutt recorded a goal and four draw controls in the victory.
Junior
Genna Gibbons finished with two ground balls and two caused turnovers, while junior
Pascale de Buren and
Sophie Powless split halves for the Jumbos combining for four saves.
Tufts outshot their hosts 29-24 on the game, while finishing a perfect 14-for-14 on clear attempts. With the victory, the Jumbos clinched a home NESCAC quarterfinal game next Saturday at noon on Bello Field against an opponent to be determined.
Sofia Guttman posted five points on four goals and an assist for the Mammoths in the loss.
Tufts finishes out the regular season on Wednesday evening up in Maine, traveling to No. 23 Bowdoin College Wednesday at 7 p.m. in conference action in Brunswick, ME.
--JUMBOS--
