MIDDLETOWN, CT (September 23, 2026) – Sophomore Eleanor Helm sent a missile of a shot through the Wesleyan University defense and into the cage with just 1:11 remaining in the second overtime to give the third-ranked Tufts University field hockey team a dramatic 2-1 NESCAC victory over the #12 Cardinals tonight at Hicks Field.

Helm scored both Tufts goals and now has nine in the team's first six games. The Jumbos are off to a 6-0 start for the first time since 2023. Wesleyan took a second straight one-goal conference loss and dropped to 3-2 overall and 0-2 NESCAC.

Tufts would get out on top with Helm's goal eight minutes into the action. Sophomore Ruby Pearson broke up a Wesleyan rush along the left sideline in the Tufts end and moved the ball up to senior Reagan Malo who got it past midfield. She sent it along to junior Hannah Murray in the Wesleyan end who continued it up to Helm in front of the goal, where she chopped a shot over the Wesleyan keeper.

Wesleyan, who had won three of its previous four games against the Jumbos, earned an advantage in possession in the second quarter and had a 5-3 lead in shots attempted as the game went to halftime scoreless.

The Cardinals earned the first penalty corner of the game with 4:28 on the third-quarter clock and scored. However, the Jumbos challenged and the video review showed the ball hit the back of a Wesleyan stick and the goal was disallowed.

With time winding down in the fourth quarter, Wesleyan would score the equalizer. During possession in the Jumbo end, junior Teddy Tolbert sent a ball from outside the left end of the circle into sophomore Emily Smith. Her pass to the goal area was won by sophomore Meera Patel, who knocked in her first goal of the season with 4:42 remaining in regulation.

Tufts would survive two Wesleyan corner attempts in the final 35 seconds and the game went to overtime.

The first seven-on-seven extra session saw Tufts senior goalie Isabel Ginns rush out to smother an attempt by Wesleyan first-year Bridget FitzGerald with three minutes left. Tufts earned a corner with 90 seconds left at the other end, but junior Ellie Wilkins' shot was saved by Cardinal sophomore keeper Keira O'Flynn.

The middle of the second overtime period featured great scoring chances by both teams 30 seconds apart. Tolbert lifted a shot just wide of the top right corner for Wesleyan, and a then a blast by Tufts junior Hannah Murray was batted away by O'Flynn.

With penalty strokes looming, Murray was fouled just outside the Wesleyan circle during a Tufts run up the field. Junior Eleanor Luft tapped the ball to Helm on the restart, and she opened up space for a shot from deep on the left side of the circle and drilled home the game-winner.

Shots finished at 11-11, with six on goal for Tufts and four on target for the Cardinals. Tufts did not earn a penalty corner during regulation and finished with two, compared to four for Wesleyan. Ginns made three saves to earn the win for Tufts, while O'Flynn stopped four shots for the hosts.