MEDFORD, MA (November 13, 2025) - Coming off an NCAA Tournament record-tying performance in last night's opening-round victory against Dean College, the Tufts University field hockey team will now play in the "Sweet 16" on Saturday versus Williams College at Bates College.
Weekend Details:
NCAA Field Hockey Championship 2nd & 3rd Rounds
Dates: November 15-16, 2025
Location: Bates College's Campus Avenue Field (Lewiston, ME) |
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Live Coverage:
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The Jumbos (15-3) earned an 11-0 win over Dean last night at Ounjian Field, tying the mark for goals in an NCAA Division III Tournament game that was done twice before. The 11 goals also set a new Tufts program record for goals in a game.
The Williams Ephs (9-8), who Tufts will play at 2:00 PM on Saturday, defeated Vassar College 4-0 in the NCAA first round on Wednesday night. This weekend at Bates will be all NESCAC, as the host Bobcats (15-3) - who earned a first-round bye - play Amherst College (9-8) in the other Sweet 16 game at the site starting at 11:00 AM. The winners will move on to the "Elite 8" on Sunday at 1:00 PM.
This weekend's winner will advance to the "Final Four" at Robin Sheppard Field in Hartford, Connecticut, where Trinity College will host November 21-23.
"It doesn't really matter who we play at this point, everybody's really good," Tufts head coach
Tina Mattera said. "You just have to figure out a way to win the game. All four NESCAC teams that are there are amazing. We've had battles with all of them, so it's just going to be whoever plays better on that day."
Tufts lost 3-1 at home to Williams on the first Saturday of the regular-season back on September 6. The Jumbos rebounded to win their next nine conference games and finish 9-1 in NESCAC to earn the #1 seed for the conference championship. Tufts fell 2-0 to Wesleyan in the semifinals at home last Saturday, then earned an at-large berth into NCAA's on Sunday.
Tufts and Williams also met in the national semifinals last year in Lexington, Virginia, with the Jumbos scoring a 1-0 overtime win to advance to the national championship game. The series between the teams had seen a long Tufts winning streak lasting from 2006 until the Ephs defeated the Jumbos 1-0 early in the 2024 season.
After a 6-1 start to their year, Williams then lost five in a row during a gauntlet of challenging games. They finished 6-4 in the league to earn the #6 seed in the tournament, where they lost 2-1 to Wesleyan in the quarterfinals.Â
Should Tufts move on to the Elite 8 on Sunday, they would face either a Bates team that the Jumbos defeated 3-1 on October 11, or an Amherst squad Tufts has won twice against this year (3-1 on October 18 and 3-2 in the NESCAC Quarterfinals on November 1).
The Jumbos are in their 16th NCAA appearance overall and seventh in a row. With last night's win they have a 28-14 tournament record, including winning the NCAA championship in 2012. Tufts has been to the Final Four six times and played in five national championship games. Tufts ranks eighth nationally with its 3.61 goals per game this season, led by
Hannah Biccard's NESCAC-best 15 goals. Defensively, the Jumbos allow a 1.05 goals against average led by All-American two-time All-Conference goalkeeper
Lydia Eastburn.
Williams has played in two of the last three Final Fours and will look to get there again, now in their 15th NCAA appearance and fourth in a row (14-14 record). The Ephs feature NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year Kiki Higgins, whose 12 goals and seven assists (31 points) lead an Eph offense that scores 2.18 goals per game. Eph goalie Ellie Smith was a second team All-American in 2024 and backs a defense that is giving up a 0.95 GAA.
It's an historic weekend for Bates, which earned a top-four national seed and will host the second and third rounds for the first time. The Bobcats, in their third NCAA appearance overall (3-2), are seeking their first-ever Final Four appearance. Sophomore goalie Ava Donohue, who was the NESCAC Player of the Week after Bates won the conference title last weekend, and NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year Haley Dwight lead the Bobcat defense which allows a 0.95 GAA.Brooke Moloney-Kolenberg with 10 goals and six assists for 26 points is the top score on the team's offense which averages 2.23 goals per game.
Amherst is back in NCAA's for the first time since 2011. In their sixth national bid overall, the Mammoths opened with a 2-1 win against Stevens in the first round to improve their overall NCAA mark to 7-5. The national runner-up back in 1999, Amherst is looking for its second Final Four berth. The #8 seed in NESCAC for the season, the Mammoths score 1.94 goals per game and allow a 1.38 GAA. The team is led by All-Conference defensive performers Katie Savino and Maya Harrington.
Tickets for Saturday and Sunday can be purchased on-site for $5 and are $3 for children (3-12) and seniors (65-plus).
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