Tufts Ties with Hamilton in Back and Forth Match

CLINTON, NY (September 21, 2024) - The Tufts University women's soccer team played in a back and forth match against Hamilton College on Saturday at Love Field in New York that ultimately ended in a 2-2 draw.

Tufts was strong to start the match, as they quickly pinned the Continentals(2-2-2) in their own end. The Jumbos (3-1-1) wasted no time in getting on the board. Just three minutes into the match, junior forward Elsi Aires laid the ball off to sophomore Emily Nicholas. Nicholas took a touch into open space before firing a shot towards goal. Her shot had more than enough power to skip past the Hamilton goalkeeper, giving Tufts the lead early in the first half. The goal was Nicholas' first of the 2024 season, and was Aires' second assist of the year. 

Hamilton was alerted by the early score, however. They quickly found their footing and began to pressure the Jumbos on defense. Senior Caroline O'Neill and junior Lena Sugrue were solid on defense, but the Hamilton attack would prove to be a weight that two alone could not bear. Hamilton forward Isabel Harvey was able to win the ball from the Tufts defense in a very opportune area, which allowed her to calmly slide the ball past sophomore goalkeeper Gigi Edwards, evening the score at one goal apiece.

Tufts seemed unphased by the slight setback, as they were able to return to their form and attach once more. Junior midfielder Caroline Kelly was excellent in the midfield, popping up on both sides of the ball. Her offensive contributions were most felt through her facilitating play, as she dished the ball out to the wings to continue progression up the field. She also proved she wasn't afraid to shoot the ball either, firing three shots on goal by the time the final whistle sounded.

Nicholas, who was hounding the Continentals' defense through most of the first half, would get on the board again before the half closed. This time it was practically gifted to her, as a misplayed Hamilton clearance fell right at her feet in the penalty area. A touch and a shot later, and Tufts had a 2-1 lead.

The half closed out with each side battling over the midfield, and neither team could grab possession for long enough to generate a threatening offense. The second half opened in much a similar fashion, although with Tufts slightly holding the edge on offense. The Jumbos would outshoot the Continentals by a tally of 11-6 come full time.

Before they reached full time, however, the Continentals were able to form a counter attack. The Jumbos, under pressure from the sudden counter attack, were forced to make a dangerous tackle inside their own penalty area. Unfortunately, there would be too much contact for that tackle to be clean, and a penalty kick was awarded to Hamilton. Olivia Zubarik stepped up to the spot and put the ball in to even the score.

Tufts was still unphased, but with the draw seeming imminent, the Continentals began to focus on defense. Try as they might, they would be unable to score again in the remaining minutes of the game. The final whistle sounded and the points would be shared between the two sides.
Tufts will return to Massachusetts for a midweek match against MIT on Wednesday at 4:00 PM in Cambridge.