Teams: Field Hockey: Schedule & Results

COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY FINAL SCORE
Tufts 3, Bates 1

At Lewiston, ME
Saturday, October 3, 2009

Game Box Score

Senior co-captain Margi Scholtes had 13 of the team's 44 shots

LEWISTON, Me. -- The third-ranked Tufts University field hockey team kept on rolling Saturday, out-shooting Bates College 44-4 in a 3-1 NESCAC victory. Tufts is now 7-0 overall, 4-0 in NESCAC and has won 27 straight regular-season games.

Coach Tina McDavitt's Jumbos came out firing, earning a penalty corner on their first possession in their offensive circle. The Bobcat (1-6, 0-5 NESCAC) defense was up to the task, turning away the Jumbos' potent offense for much of the first half. Tufts earned 13 penalty corners in the first half, but the Jumbos were only able to convert on one of them.

While the Bobcat team defense weathered the storm for the first 20 minutes, the Jumbos broke through for the first goal of the game in the 20th minute, when junior All-American Amanda Roberts (Wenham, MA) found herself on a one-on-one breakaway against Bates junior goalie Katie McEnroe (Hockessin, DE) and converted her first goal of the season. The Jumbos scored again four minutes later on a hard-hit shot from senior midfielder Margi Scholtes (Grosse Pointe, MI). The ball was inserted to the top on a penalty corner and passed left by junior Jess Perkins (Barrington, RI) to Scholtes, who snuck it just inside the near post past McEnroe.

Down 2-0 at the half, Bates came out looking to turn the tide and put some pressure on Tufts' defense. The Bobcats gained some momentum with some nice passing combinations through the midfield into their offensive end. Bates' first possession in their offensive circle resulted in a penalty corner. The ball was inserted by sophomore Jenna Dannis (Milford, NH) to senior defender Sammy Rothkopf (Chicago, IL) at the top of the circle. Rothkopf put a shot on goal that was deflected by a Tufts defender. The ball was loose in front of the goal cage as both teams fought for possession, before first-year Michelle Brady (Milton, MA) knocked it in past Tufts junior goaltender Katie Hyder (Winston-Salem, NC) to make it a one-goal game with 24:30 left in regulation. It was Brady's first collegiate goal.

The Jumbos took advantage of a defensive miscue less than three minutes later, as junior Tamara Brown (Annandale, VA) found senior Amanda Russo (Garden City, NY) behind the Bates defense for a one on goalkeeper situation. Russo's fifth goal of the year put Tufts up 3-1.

Bates continued to work the ball into their offensive end and play solid defense for the remainder of the game, but could not find the back of the goal cage again.

McEnroe played an outstanding game, making 17 saves for the second straight contest. Hyder and sophomore goalie Marianna Zak (Concord, MA), who entered with approximately 20 minutes remaining, did not record a save for the Jumbos, as Bates got just one shot on net. Tufts had 21 penalty corners to one for the hosts.

Tufts next has a non-conference game at Wellesley on Tuesday at 4:30 pm. The Bobcats travel to Williams next Saturday for another conference game.

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