Monday, September 22, 2003
Written By Julie Fox

MARTIN NAMED NESCAC FIELD HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE WEEK

MEDFORD – In just her second week of collegiate play, freshman forward Kathleen Martin (Cumberland, ME/Yarmouth) has been named the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Field Hockey Player of the Week for September 15-21.  Martin scored both goals for the Tufts University Jumbos in a 2-1 victory over NESCAC rival Connecticut College on Saturday (Sept. 20) to give the Jumbos their first back-to-back wins since 2000. She is the first conference Player of the Week at Tufts in nearly five years. Robyn Gawlak was the last to earn the award on September 27, 1998.

Martin scored the pair of goals what somewhat of a flair for the dramatic. The first, assisted by sophomore teammate Lea Napolitano, came with just 1:03 left on the clock until halftime and gave the Jumbos a 1-0 lead heading into the break. After Tufts held that lead for most of the second half, Martin's second goal – with help from Erika Goodwin - with 3:42 remaining in regulation gave the Jumbos a 2-0 cushion. The goal turned out to be huge, as Connecticut College scored with 2:20 left but could not net the equalizer.

The two goals vault Martin into a tie for the team lead in points with four.  The freshman looks to help out an offense that scored only ten goals in 14 games last season.  The team has already scored five goals in four games this season, and should improve its offensive production from a year ago.

Last year, in her senior season at Yarmouth High School in Yarmouth, Maine, Martin was named to the All-State first team.

Head Coach Carol Rappoli's Jumbos defeated Wellesley, 2-1, earlier in the week to give them their first victory of the season after opening with losses to Division II power Bentley College and NESCAC rival Amherst College.  The victory over Connecticut College was the team's second straight and tenth in the past 11 games against the Camels.

Next on the schedule for the Jumbos is an away game at Gordon College on Tuesday.  Game time is 3 pm.

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