HARTFORD, CT (January 31, 2026) -- The Tufts University women's basketball team fought off a late rally from host Trinity College Saturday afternoon, holding the host Bantams to just two field goals over the final five minutes to capture an important 59-55 win in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play from Ray Oosting Gymnasium.
The win was important for the postseason standings for the Jumbos (11-9, 3-4 NESCAC), who won back-to-back NESCAC games for the first time in 2025-26. Tufts pulled into a tied with Connecticut College for sixth place with the triumph, and still have three conference games left in the season.
The Jumbos fell behind early in Saturday's contest, but powered back with a 10-2 run towards the end of the quarter to take a five-point lead at 21-16 going to the second frame. Tufts led for the entire second quarter, as the lead ballooned up to eight with 1:30 to play in the half on a triple from sophomore
Siobhan Stapleton.
Tufts would eventually lead 30-24 at the break, as the Jumbos hed Trinity to just eight points in the second quarter. Trinity was also 0-of-6 from three-point land in the second stanza.
The Jumbos would start hot in the third quarter, and led by as many as 14 at 43-29 after a
Tessa Lozner fastbreak lay-up with 3:46 to go in the frame. Trinity chipped away at the lead going into the fourth, as the Jumbos still led 47-40 after three periods.
The hosts momentum though would carry into the fourth quarter, as the Bantams held Tufts scoreless over five minutes while going on a 12-0 run to take a 49-47 lead with 6;10 left in regulation.
First-year
Abby Congdon answered though with a traditional three-point play, followed by a lay-up to spur an 8-0 run for the Jumbos to put Tufts back up 55-49 with 2:02 to go. Trinity's Melissa Whitmore would hit a three-pointer to cut the Jumbo lead down to three, but the Jumbos were able to hold Trinity to just one more made field goal down the stretch to clinch the win.
Lozner had another strong and efficient game for the Jumbos, tallying 15 points on 7-of-15 shooting, tallying four rebounds as well. Congdon had a strong return to her hometown with 14 points, four assists, five steals and two rebounds, making clutch plays all game, while
Claire Kolkhorst finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and four steals.
Junior
Stella Galanes came off the bench to tally eight point, making six of her seven free throw attempts. Tufts was 21-of-54 (38.9 percent) from the floor for the game, as the Jumbos won in Hartford for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
Marlo Simms had 16 points and 14 rebounds for Trinity, while Whitmore tallied 15 points and six rebounds as well.
Tufts will return to Cousens Gymnasium Friday evening, February 6 at 7 p.m. to host Amherst College in NESCAC play.
--JUMBOS--
