MEDFORD, MA (April 25, 2024) -- The No. 2 ranked Jumbos of Tufts University will kick off the 2024 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Tournament on Saturday at home, hosting sixth-seed and No. 19 Trinity College in the quarterfinals round on Bello Field. The Jumbos enter the tournament as the No. 3 seed, following Wednesday night's 17-7 win over Bowdoin College to finish out the regular season.
Game Details
NESCAC Tournament Website
Opponent: vs. Trinity College (8-7, 4-6 NESCAC)
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2024
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: Medford, MA - Bello Field
Weather: Partly Cloudy, Low 60s, Chance of Rain: 0%, Wind: E 5-10 MPH
Live Coverage:
LIVE STATS –
LIVE VIDEO
Tufts vs. Trinity All-Time
The Jumbos are 22-31 against Trinity College all-time, with the first meeting coming all the way back in 1976. Tufts has won the last six games over Trinity though dating back to 2019, including this season's 20-6 victory back on March 9. Tufts has held Trinity to single digits in all six of the games of that stretch. In NESCAC Tournament, Trinity holds a 5-2 edge winning the first five games while Tufts has won the last two games including a 14-8 win back in 2022 in the 3-6 game on Bello Field.
A Look At The Jumbos (13-2, 8-2 NESCAC)
The Jumbos come into Saturday's tilt with the Bantams with wins in their last two outings, and three of the last four following a 17-12 win over Amherst last Saturday and Wednesday's victory over Bowdoin.
Tufts comes into the weekend with the conference's top scoring offense, tallying 274 goals over their 15 games. Tufts also leads the league in shooting percentage, scoring on 51.7 percent of its shots, as the scoring offense ranks No. 3 in the nation. Tufts is also seventh in scoring margin, outscoring foes by 9.73 goals per game. The Jumbos rank second in NCAA Lacrosse in turnovers per game, giving the ball away just 11.53 times per contest, and also are seventh in the nation in draw controls per game with 18.07 a night. Along with that, the Jumbos rank first in all of collegiate lacrosse in clearing rate, posting a 95.1 percent success clip.
Offensively, Tufts is led by
Margie Carden who has posted 50 goals on the season, which ranks third in the NESCAC.
Ella Lesperance leads the conference in assists per game with 2.47, and is second behind just Carden in points this season with 72. Sophomore
Allie Zorn has dished out 24 assists as well, which ranks third in the conference, while posting the sixth-most points in the league with 59 in 2024.
The offensive numbers have been bolstered by eight different players tallying double-digit goal totals, as
Emma Joyce has scored 29 times to go with 36 draw controls and 11 ground balls.
Madeline Delaney has 22 goals and 51 draw controls, and first-year
Schuyler Lloyd has posted 15 goals on a 68.2 percent shooting percentage.
Kate Deehan has 15 tallies, and
Kate Mastrobuono has netted 11 strikes.
Defensively,
Genna Gibbons has been stellar with nine caused turnovers, 65 draw controls and 20 ground balls, while All-American
Kathryn Fernandopulle has forced 27 turnovers to go with 40 ground balls. Deehan also has eight caused turnovers, while
Elsa Schutt has 36 draw wins, 10 ground balls and 13 points including eight goals.
Nicola Sommers has been a huge addition this season, as the soccer implant has tallied 11 ground balls and sound defensive work.
In goal, Tufts has seen
Pascale de Buren stop 44 percent of shots, making 80 stops while posting an 11-2 record in goal. First-year
Sophie Powless also has 22 saves this season, chalking up a 2-0 record in goal.
Tufts is looking to improve on its 11-17 all-time NESCAC Tournament mark, while notching its third NESCAC title in program history and third since 2021.
A Look At The Bantams (8-7, 4-6 NESCAC)
Trinity enters the NESCAC Tournament as one of the leaders in all-time NESCAC titles with five, as the Bantams posted five straight from 2011 to 2015. The Bantams also won a NCAA Championship back in 2012.
Trinity won four of the first five games this season before dropping five of six despite three of the losses coming by two or fewer goals. Trinity did play well last Saturday at Middlebury, falling by just five to the defending national champions. Trinity ranks sixth in the conference in scoring with 11.20 goals per game, while its 5.27 assists per night is fourth in the conference. Trinity leads the league in ground balls per game with 22.13, as the Bantams have forced 11.27 turnovers a contest which tops the NESCAC as well. Trinity sits ninth in draw controls with 11.67 per game.
Offensively, Molly McGuckin is eighth in the NESCAC in points per game with 3.40, as her 44 goals this season is fourth in the league. Brooke Kurtz is second in the NESCAC in assists with 25, while teammate Caroline Lampert also has 13 helpers this season. Natalie Miller has scored 27 goals in 2024 for the Bantams, and Casey Ward has 13 goals, 33 draw controls and 33 grounders.
Caitlyn Buermann has a team-high 38 draw wins, and Samanta Hark leads the team with 27 caused turnovers. Quincy Connell also has 27 loose balls, 20 caused turnovers and 25 draw controls for the Bantams. In net, Ali Macdougall has played all but 86 of the 900 minutes this sason between the pipes, making 90 saves while stopping 38.5 percent of shots.
Head coach Katy Szymanski is in her 10th season with the Bantams, having led the team the NCAA Final Four in 2016.
Other Games Around the Tournament
Saturday, April 27 at Higher Seeds
Quarterfinal Games
No. 7 Trinity at No. 2 Wesleyan – 3 p.m.
No. 6 Williams at No. 3 Bowdoin – 1 p.m.
No. 5 Amherst at No. 4 Middlebury – 1 p.m.
Saturday, May 4 at Highest Remaining Seed
Semifinal Games – 12 p.m./3 p.m.
Highest Remaining Seed vs. Lowest Remaining Seed
Remaining Quarterfinal Round Winners
Sunday, May 5 at Semifinal Site
Final – 12 p.m.
Semifinal Winners
--JUMBOS--
