MEDFORD, MA (October 29. 2026) – For the third consecutive year, the No. 4 ranked Tufts University women's soccer team is scheduled to host a Quarterfinal Round match as the second-seed in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Tournament on Saturday. The Jumbos will be the home team versus seventh-seed Wesleyan University in Medford, MA at 12 PM. Tufts ended the regular season in command with a 5-0 road victory at Bowdoin to finish just one point behind the top-seed No. 8 Williams in the conference standings, while the Cardinals fell, 2-0, at Connecticut College in their regular season finale.
Game Details
Opponent: vs. Wesleyan University (9-6-0, 4-6-0 NESCAC)
Date: Saturday, October 31, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: Medford, Mass. – Bello Field
Weather: Mostly Sunny, Low 50s, Chance of Rain: 0%, Wind: NW 5-10 MPH
Live Coverage: LIVE STATS –
LIVE VIDEO
Tufts vs Wesleyan All-Time
Going all the way back to 1978, the Jumbos own a 30-11-9 all-time record against the Cardinals. Tufts has taken the edge in the past three contests against Wesleyan, including wins in the NESCAC Quarterfinals and the NCAA Second Round last season. On September 15 of this fall, the Jumbos defeated the Cardinals, 2-0, on the road to grab their first shutout of the year. Despite the loss, Wesleyan held a 15-11 lead in the shot department, while Tufts tabbed a 4-2 advantage in corner kick chances.
Maren Jones and
Emily Nicholas were the goal scorers for the Jumbos and
Gigi Edwards made seven stops in route to the shutout. In the 2025 NESCAC Quarterfinal Round, Tufts escaped with a 2-1 victory as the top-seed over the Cardinals as the eighth-seed to start their journey to the conference title.
Elsi Aires found the back of the net in the 62nd minute for the game-winning tally with
Claire Brady on the assist.
A Look at The Jumbos (11-0-3, 7-0-3 NESCAC)
The Jumbos come into Saturday's matchup with Wesleyan as a confident and threatening crew after finishing with their first ever unbeaten record during the regular season. The Jumbos concluded the regular season schedule with an 11-0-3 overall record, while going 7-0-3 in conference action. This Jumbo team is filled with togetherness, hard work, and communication, which has been crucial to the success so far this season. In 2026, Tufts leads the NESCAC in goals scored with 42, while allowing just seven which is good for second place. The Jumbos tab 3.00 goals per game, while conceding just 0.50 scores per contest, showing their dominance on both sides of the ball. With an average scoring margin of 2.5, Tufts holds the conference lead in that category. The Blue and Brown have controlled the corner kick chances all season as they currently sit with an 80-47 advantage.
The potent offense moves the ball with precision and has executed game plans to near perfection. In this season, 14 different goal scorers have found the back of the net for the Jumbos. Tufts' 42 goals were a result of 261 shot attempts, forming a 0.161 team shooting percentage. As a group, Tufts puts 9.21 shots on goal per game which ranks first in the NESCAC, while limiting opponents to 3.86 shots within the goal mount per match, displaying their ability to demand possession and open up shooting lanes. The Jumbos have produced 32 assists on their 42 goals, which ranks third in the conference.
Forward
Waverly Sumner is the goal leader on the Jumbos with nine markers, which is tied for third in the NESCAC. The senior has an intimidating shot that has found tallies from all over the pitch all season. The Dover native sits in second on Tufts with 19 points on nine goals and one assist, two of Sumner's goals resulted in game-winning decisions.
Jordyn Miller has also been a key contributor at the forward position for the Blue and Brown, as she currently has 10 points on three goals and four assists. Miller tabbed a hat-trick in last week's 9-0 win over Bridgewater State University. Senior
Hannah Batt has bounced back-and-forth between starting and being one of the first players off the bench with seven starts in 14 games and nine points on four goals and a helper. First Year
Gussie Robillard has also provided some crucial forward minutes off the bench in 2026, as she enters the postseason with six points on two goals and two assists.
The midfield could be Tufts' greatest strength, as
Maren Jones,
Emily Nicholas, and
Reese Birch have combined for 46 total points on 15 goals and 16 assists. Jones leads Tufts offensively with 20 points on six goals and eight assists. The senior leads the conference with her eight helpers and also with four game-winning scores. Nicholas is an extremely well-balanced midfielder that contributes heavily to the offensive side, while also shutting down opposing attacks. The Avon native has accumulated 17 points on six goals and five assists, while starting in all 14 games. Birch leads Tufts in shot attempts with 39 and has picked up nine points on three goals and three assists.
Sarah Hauck and
Claire Brady have also been integral parts of the midfield crew for the Jumbos. Hauck is a defensive powerhouse off the bench that picked up a goal in the 9-0 win over Bridgewater State. Brady scored her lone goal of the season in a 3-0 road win at Bates.
On the defensive side, Tufts puts out a gritty back line filled with depth that stifles opposing offensive strategies. Opponents have registered just nine goals against Tufts in 15 games, holding teams to a .055 shooting percentage on 127 shot attempts. The defensive lineup has helped the Jumbos earn eight clean sheets, including the 2-0 shutout at Wesleyan.
Rachel Arcella,
Phoebe Marsick,
Alyssa Ruiz, and Maggie Roger use their communication and skill to dismantle counter attacks and limit opposing scoring chances. Marsick leads Tufts in minutes played with 1,162, while Arcella follows just behind her with 1,052 minutes played. First year
Maile Lung and senior
Cate Holzbeierlein have also filled in nicely as defenders for the Jumbos. In her debut season, Lung has so far collected four points on two goals in nine starts and 12 games played.
In goal,
Gigi Edwards has been pivotal to the Jumbos' remarkable defensive reputation. The senior appeared and started in 11 games for Tufts, picking up four shutouts and 40 saves to earn an 8-0-2 record. Edwards currently sits with 26 career shutouts, which is just two shy of tying the all-time program record of 28. She has allowed just six scores this season, with a 0.55 goals against average, and a .870 save percentage.
Greta Steege made three starts for the Jumbos in the regular season and stuffed five shots to capture one shutout with a 2-0-1 record.
Head Coach
Martha Whiting commands .653 win percentage and a 273-132-55 overall record throughout her tenure at Tufts. Whiting is the programs all-time win leader and has corralled two NESCAC titles in 2002 and 2025 and a four NCAA Semifinal appearances in 2000, 2005, 2023, and 2025.
A Look at The Cardinals (9-6-0, 4-6-0 NESCAC)
Wesleyan enters Saturday's NESCAC Quarterfinal Round against the Jumbos with a 9-6-0 overall record, while going 4-6-0 within the conference. The Cardinals have been very successful outside of conference play as they hold an undefeated 5-0-0 record against non-conference opponents. Wesleyan is known for their dangerous high scoring offense that ranks second in the NESCAC is goals scored with 41. The Cardinals bury roughly 2.73 goals per game which also ranks second in the conference behind Tufts.
The Cardinals have earned 118 points, which is good for first in the conference, on 41 goals and 36 assists. Wesleyan's 36 assists is also a conference-leading mark for the Cardinals. Continuing to show its offensive focus, Wesleyan also leads the NESCAC with 268 shot attempts and with 8.00 being on target on average per contest.
Senior forwards Maria Utz and Taylor Hill are versatile offensive leaders for this lethal and proven attack. Utz and Hill have combined for nearly half the team's offensive production with 55 total points on 22 goals and 11 assists. Utz on her own leads the NESCAC in points with 36, goals with 15, and shots with 69. Hill ended the regular season with 19 points on seven goals and five assists in 15 starts. Meredith Feiner and Sienna Goldstein have also made impacts for Wesleyan as forwards on the offensive end, as Feiner picked up two goals and two assist in six starts and 15 games played, while Goldstein nabbed a goal in just two appearances during the fall.
In the midfield, Kerenza Leahey and Romi Schreiber each collected nine points during the regular season. Leahey has been the main playmaker, as she leads all midfielders on Wesleyan with five assists along with two goals, while starting and appearing in all 15 games. Schrieber has been to go-to goal scorer, as she leads the Cardinal midfielders with four goals as well as an assist. Junior Rachel Katz and sophomore Bridget Taketa fill out the rest of the solid Wesleyan midfield. Katz has appeared and started in all 15 games for the Cardinals so far this season and has accrued five points on one goal and three assists. Taketa earned her starting spot as the season progressed and has posted three points on a goal and an assist.
On the back line, Sheridan Snow is the anchor of the group as she leads the defensive core in scoring with eight points on three goals and two assists, while also leading the entire squad with 1295 minutes played. The Cardinals currently hold a +18 goal differential, while this defensive crew has helped Wesleyan grab three shutouts this season. The Cardinals allow 1.53 goals per game on 9.53 shots against per contest. Brianna Garcia and Savannah Hyon round out the rest of the vital defenders for Wesleyan, with both appearing in all 15 games for the Cardinals.
In goal, Maggie Di Rienzo and Marley Hansard split the starting duties during the regular season. Di Rienzo made eight starts and sits with a 6-3-0 record and has 33 saves with a .688 save percentage and one shutout. Hansard appeared in nine games with seven starts and has gathered 14 saves on 38 shots faced.
Wesleyan leans heavily on their offensive support, which has proven to be dangerous at different points throughout the course of the season. Despite dropping to the seventh-seed due to two conference losses to end the regular season, the Cardinals are not a team to be looked at lightly.
Head Coach Eva Meredith is in her 23rd season at the helm of the Cardinals and has earned two NESCAC Coach of the Year awards in 2021 and 2024. Meredith lead Wesleyan to back-to-back NESCAC Championship appearances in 2021 and 2022 and has guided the program to five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
NESCAC Tournament Schedule
October 31 – Quarterfinals
No. 8 Bates at No. 1 Williams – 11 AM
No. 7 Wesleyan at No. 2 Tufts – 12 PM
No. 6 Connecticut at No. 3 Hamilton – 12 PM
No. 5 Middlebury at No. 4 Colby – 12 PM
November 7 – Semifinals
November 8 – Finals
--JUMBOS--
