Teams: Women's Lacrosse: Press Releases

Monday, April 13, 2009

BLOOM BACK-STOPS THREE TUFTS WINS, EARNS NESCAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK

MEDFORD -- A busy three-game week for the Tufts University women's lacrosse team resulted in three more victories, as the Jumbos improved to 10-1 overall in the midst of one of their best seasons in years. While the goals were was spread around like usual among Tufts' league-leading offense, the team also received its reliably good goaltending from sophomore Sara Bloom (Summit, NJ). She has been selected as this week's New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Player of the Week.

Bloom enjoyed one of the finest performances of her career in a 12-7 victory against Middlebury College on Saturday (Apr. 11). Tufts, ranked seventh nationally, and the #8 Panthers each entered the game with just one loss in conference play. Both were vying for the top spot in the NESCAC standings along with Colby College. Bloom came up with 11 saves in the game while allowing a season-low seven goals by Middlebury. The Jumbos, who defeated Colby earlier in the season, got a leg up in the conference race with the win that improved them to 6-1 in NESCAC.

Earlier in the week, the Jumbos continued their non-conference domination with Bloom's assistance. On Tuesday, she had four saves in a little more than 20 minutes of action during a 19-10 victory against Gordon. At Wheaton on Thursday, she had 10 saves and allowed only four goals while playing the first half of a 19-7 victory. Tufts improved to 4-0 outside of NESCAC and has outscored non-league foes 77-31.

For the week, Bloom earned all three wins in goal and recorded a .641 save percentage and a 7.49 goals against average. She is the NESCAC leader with a .566 save percentage, making 103 saves and allowing 79 goals in 11 games. Her 8.64 goals against average for the season is third in the conference.

Bloom is the team's first NESCAC Player of the Week for the 2009 season. The Jumbos' 10 victories so far match the program's best total since the 1995 team finished 12-1. Tufts previously won 10 games last year, in 2006, in 2001 and in 1997.

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