MEDFORD, MA (September 15, 2024) – The #8 Tufts University field hockey team capped an explosive weekend with a 6-0 victory over Connecticut College in a NESCAC game today at Ounjian Field. All-American
Andrea DelGiudice led the Tufts with her second hat trick in as many days.
On Saturday Tufts finished strong to earn a 6-2 victory over Colby College at Ounjian. The 12 goals in back-to-back games are the most for Tufts since the 2021 team scored 13 combined against Endicott College (7-1) and Wesleyan University (6-0) in mid-September of that season. Today the Jumbos improved to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in NESCAC, while the Camels fell to 1-4 and 0-3.
DelGiudice had three goals with two assists in yesterday's contest against Colby and finished the weekend with six goals and three assists for 15 points.
The Jumbos got started early today with a goal by junior
Hannah Biccard five minutes into the game. The ball went to senior
Kayleigh McDonald just outside the top of the circle and she sent it down to Biccard, who took some dribbles to set up a back-handed shot that beat Camel goalkeeper Liz Winemaster to the far side.
The 1-0 score held until DelGiudice tallied her first of the day early in the second quarter. Senior
Claire Gavin took possession of the ball in Tufts' end and dashed up field, beating a defender and passing to a wide open DelGiudice in the right side of the circle. Her blast inside the right post put Tufts up by two with 11:47 on the second-quarter clock.
Gavin then scored assisted by DelGiudice barely a minute later. McDonald started the play by taking the ball from a Camel player at midfield. It went to DelGiudice, who maneuvered past a defender and then sent a long ball by the out-stretched stick of another Conn defender to Gavin. She broke into the circle and blasted one into the far side for a 3-0 score.
The Jumbos would finish the half up 4-0 on another DelGiudice goal during a corner. The insert by sophomore
Sophie Brants went out to senior
Kylie Rosenquest, who dished it over to DelGiudice on the left. Her back-handed shot appeared to be stopped at first, but continued over the goal line with under five minutes remaining until halftime.
DelGiudice would get her second straight hat trick in the middle of the third quarter. Junior
Carly Iacullo started the possession with a steal in the Camel end. She sent it towards the middle where McDonald pushed it forward to DelGiudice at the top of the circle. She turned and sent a slow roller towards the goal looking for a Jumbo stick, but the ball went untouched into the left side of the goal for a 5-0 advantage.
Up big, the Jumbos were able to get many reserves into the game and this group scored the final goal. The insert by Iacullo was collected by junior
Jordan Pittignano outside the top of the circle. She passed to first-year
Ellie Wilkins on the left side, and her shot was deflected in by sophomore
Lilly Ragusa for her first career goal with 7:40 left in regulation.
Connecticut College would earn three penalty corner opportunities in the fourth quarter. Their best scoring chance of the game came on the first. Tufts sophomore
Isabel Ginns, who came on to play goalie for the second half, was there to save a tipped shot from right in front by Conn's Elizabeth Bonner.
That would be the only save needed on the day for the Jumbos, who finished with a 31-2 advantage in shots. Tufts earned 17 corners as well, compared to three for the Camels. Winemaster had 10 saves in the first half for the visitors, and sophomore Bea Talbott played the second half and finished with five stops.
The Jumbos play at MIT next on Wednesday.
--JUMBOS--
