MEDFORD, Mass. – The Connecticut College women's lacrosse team hung tough with No. 2 Tufts, before the Jumbos pulled away in the fourth quarter for an 18-7 win. Conn opens the year 0-1 overall and 0-1 in NESCAC play, while Tufts starts the campaign at 1-0 and 1-0 in conference action.
It was a slow start for both sides, as the first goal of the afternoon did not come until seven minutes in. Tufts opened the scoring with the first three goals, staking a 3-0 lead at 6:53. Conn answered just over two minutes later, as Kate Coughlin (Reading, Mass.) converted on a free-position shot to make it 3-1. In the final minute, Emma Ognibene (New Canaan, Conn.) hit the back of the net while playing a woman-up, as the Jumbos led 3-2 after one.
Both teams split the next four goals, as Tufts stayed in front 5-4 with eight minutes to play in the half. Greta Panke (Milldale, Conn.) found the net off an assist from Elizabeth Gill (Hingham, Mass.), before Coughlin netted her second of the contest. The Jumbos ended the half with the last two goals, leading 7-4 at the break.
Just two minutes into the second half, Ognibene earned a free-position shot, and converted making it 7-5. Tufts answered with three straight goals to push the lead to 10-5. Coughlin ended the run, completing her hat trick with her second free-position goal, before a late Jumbos marker had Tufts on top 11-6 heading to the fourth.
Campbell Johnston (Duxbury, Mass.) cut the deficit back to four with an early tally in the final frame. However, Tufts took over in the final 12 minutes, ending the game on a 7-0 run, coming away with the 18-7 win.
Tufts outshot Conn 42-16, while the Jumbos held a 17-11 edge on draw controls.
Ava Virga (Watertown, N.Y.) made her first career start in goal, finishing with 13 saves. Coughlin paced the Camels with three goals, while Ognibene added two markers. Panke and Johnston both added one goal, while Gill chipped in one assist. Defensively, Sydney Weber () led the way, causing a team-high three turnovers, while also scooping up three ground balls. Weber also collected six draw controls, while Panke controlled four.
Pascale de Buren got the win in goal, making five saves. Four different Jumbos recorded four points, led by Emma Joyce who tallied four goals, Ella Lesperance and Allie Zorn who both had three goals and one assist, and Kate Mastrobuono who totaled one goal and three assists.
Conn returns to action on Wednesday night, as the Camels make the short trek to take on Coast Guard at 6:00 p.m.
