MEDFORD, MASS– Three goals in the first quarter, four goals in the second and third quarters, and one in the fourth quarter proved to be just enough for Tufts to barely edge the Ephs 13-9 in the second game of the season as the Ephs fall to 0-2 on the season.
Grace Collier opened the game at the 10:45 mark with a goal for the Ephs after an impressive save from Eph goalie Caitlyn Joyce and a quick clearance allowed Collier to give the Ephs the lead. The Jumbos equalized with 7:40 left in the first, thanks to a free position goal from Genna Gibbons; the Jumbos quickly took the lead at the 7:07 mark after a good dodge and finish from Claire Wright. Wright scored her second with just under 5 minutes remaining in the first quarter, just a few seconds after the Jumbos got a successful clearance.
Shea Van Den Broek scored with 1:40 left in the first quarter after an impressive move on the right side of the field and followed by an even more impressive low shot to bring the Ephs within one. Despite being down 1 in the first quarter, the Ephs showed an outstanding defensive performance in the first quarter led by Eph goalie Caitlyn Joyce who finished the whole game with ten saves. The Ephs also controlled the ground ball game and won most of the draws in the first quarter. Coach Alice Lee mentioned some of the catalysts to this defensive performance, "Meaghan McCarthy, who was that spark for us defensively, and Kelsey Richter."
One minute into the second quarter Margie Carden cut into the middle of the goal and ripped a high shot to regain the Jumbos two-goal lead. Anna Clarke quickly added another goal for the Jumbos with 13:14 remaining in the second quarter after another high shot that barely beat the reach of the Ephs goalie Caitlyn Joyce. Maggie Carden scored her second of the game with 12:50 left to take the lead 6-2.
Molly Hellman, with 12:11 remaining in the second quarter, produced a tremendous quick move across the face of the goal and unbalanced the Jumbo defense to score and cut the Jumbo lead to three. Shea Van Den Broek added to the Ephs goal tally after she cut across the eight-meter, received a great pass from Stephanie Wistreich, and scored a great goal with 8:41 left in the second quarter. Shea Van Den Broek, with 6:43 left in the second quarter, capitalized on the yellow card from Margie Carden and scored a beautiful behind-the-back finish making it look easy cutting the Jumbo lead to one. The Jumbos responded with 2:31 left in the half, thanks to Margie Cardin's third goal of the game.
Although the Jumbos went into the break with a two-goal lead, the Ephs had a lot to be proud of in the first half registering twelve shots on goal, and Caitlyn Joyce recording eight first-half saves for the Ephs between the pipes.
Just about a minute into the second half, the Jumbos made the score 8-5 after a goal from Kathryn Delaney. Margie Carden added to the Jumbo lead from a free position to get her fourth goal of the game with 13:33 left in the third quarter. The Jumbos continued their onslaught on the Eph defense after another free-position goal, this time from Caroline Conaghan, to take a 10-5 lead with 10:09 remaining in the third quarter. With 7:54 left in the third quarter, Eph goalie Caitlyn Joyce had a fantastic blocked shot that unfortunately fell into her own goal. The goal was credited to Claire Wright to give the Jumbos an 11-5 lead.
The Ephs never gave up. Shea Van Den Broek had a great move and pass to Grace Collier, who finished the possession with a goal to stop the bleeding a little bit with 5:27 remaining in the third quarter. Collier got her hat-trick with 0:21 remaining in the half, quickly followed by a great play from Claudia Russell on the ground ball, and then fed Mason Yonge to score and bring the score to 11-8 going into the final quarter. The Ephs went on a run after a slow start at the beginning of the third quarter, hoping to build some momentum for the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Genna Gibbons got a goal for the Jumbos on a free-position goal to stop the Ephs run and make the score 12-8 with 8:03 remaining in the game. The Ephs responded through a spectacular move and finish from Shea Van Den Broek to bring the score to 12-9 with 5:11 left. The Jumbos re-established their four-goal lead through a free position goal with 2:48 remaining in the game through Kathryn Delaney.
The Jumbos held on to win, but the Ephs took the #2 ranked Jumbos until the end. "It was such a hard fought team battle, across the board, offensively, defensively, goalies, and the draws. People were stepping up big in different roles," Coach Alice Lee mentioned.
"We are looking to get better every day," Coach Alice Lee remarked. The Ephs will look to bounce back at Colby on Saturday, March 12th at 12 PM.
