Teams: Women's Lacrosse: Schedule & Results

TUFTS WINS HOME OPENER CONVINCINGLY AGAINST WELLESLEY COLLEGE, 20-3

COLLEGE WOMEN'S LACROSSE FINAL SCORE
Tufts 20, Wellesley 3

At Medford, MA
Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Game Box Score

Four of Amanda Roberts' five goals came during a 10-0 Tufts run

MEDFORD -- With the biggest rock band in the world, U2, setting up to play later tonight at the Somerville Theater in Davis Square, a mile from Bello Field, the 13th-ranked Tufts University women's lacrosse team  was "Magnificent" in a 20-3 non-league win over Wellesley College on Wednesday afternoon.

Tufts had a slim 3-2 lead 10 minutes into the game, then scored the next 10 goals and led 13-3 at the half. The second half was played in running time. Sophomore Amanda Roberts (Wenham, MA) scored five goals overall to lead Tufts, while junior Emily Johnson (Yarmouth, ME) contributed four goals and an assist for a five-point game. Three Tufts players accumulated four points, including three goals and an assist by senior co-captain Chrissie Attura (Yarmouth, ME). The game was the 2009 home-opener for the Jumbos.

Wellesley was in the game early. After Tufts went ahead 2-0, sophomore Jenny Holland (Bethesda, MD) scored at 22:30 to pull the Blue within 2-1. Attura's first goal for Tufts came next, but Wellesley junior Molly Morrow (Bow, NH) scored unassisted at 20:04 to make it 3-2.

During Tufts' 10-goal run over the next 18-plus minutes, Roberts scored four times and Johnson netted three. First-years Kelly Hyland (Acton, MA) and Sterling Champion (Lighthouse Point, FL) scored their first collegiate goals during the stretch. Wellesley's Meredith Roy (Merrimack, NH) converted on a free-position shot with 0.6 seconds remaining in the first half, but that would be the last goal for the visitors.

Tufts shut out Wellesley 7-0 in the second half. First-year Casey Egan's (Massapequa, NY) first collegiate goal was included.

The Jumbos were very clean with their possession throughout the game, turning the ball over just 12 times and finishing a perfect 15 for 15 on clears. They owned a decisive 36-12 final count in shots, won the ground-ball battle 38-20 and took 15 out of 24 draw controls. Johnson and Attura both collected five ground balls and 10 different Jumbos controlled draws. Senior Courtney Thomas (Needham, MA) caused three turnovers. Sophomore Sara Bloom (Summit, NJ) played 40:45 in goal and earned the win for Tufts with four saves.

Roy had three ground balls and three draw controls to lead Wellesley. Morrow was the scoring leader for the visitors with a goal and an assist. In goal, sophomore Mary Mattia (Atlanta, GA) made nine saves for the Blue.

All in all, it was a "Beautiful Day" for the Jumbos.

#