CLINTON, NY (April 22, 2023) -- Junior
Emma Joyce took a draw control with under 12 seconds to play in an 8-8 game, racing down and scoring with with a second to play to give the Jumbos a crazy 9-8 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) win in play from Stueben Field.
The Jumbos (11-3, 7-2 NESCAC) clinched a home game next weekend in the NESCAC Tournament Quarterfinals with the victory, but it didn't come easily as the Continentals gave Tufts all it could handle. Tufts took an 8-5 lead with 10:13 to play in regulation on a
Margie Carden goal, her 41st of the season to give the Jumbos a three-goal lead.
Hamilton (4-10, 1-9 NESCAC) rallied back with three straight goals, including two goals from Sarah Stonestreet and the game-tying tally from Meghan Lane with 12 seconds left in regulation. On the ensuing draw,
Emma Joyce grabbed the loose ball off of a deflection from
Madeline Delaney, sprinted down the right side and fired a powerful shot off the goalkeeper's stick and in with 1.0 second to play.
The goal was
Emma Joyce's second game-winning goal of the season, as the other was an overtime game-winning goal against Salisbury University earlier in the campaign.
Tufts started the contest well with two first-quarter goals, as Joyce opened the game's scoring at 8:44 of the first stanza on an assist from
Genna Gibbons before Carden scored with 3:09 left in the frame.
Hamilton netted back-to-back goals to start the second quarter to tie the game, but Tufts responded with three consecutive goals from Carden,
Allie Zorn and
Caroline Walter to give the Jumbos a 5-2 edge with 4:43 to play in the half. The Continentals came right back with two unassisted goals to send the game to halftime with Tufts up 5-4.
Caroline Walter scored for Tufts to make it 6-4 early in the third quarter, but an Alex Orlando goal from Hamilton made it 6-5 going to the fourth.
Walter finished with three goals on six shots on goal, while Joyce finished with two goals, one assist, six ground balls, four caused turnovers and a game-high 10 draw controls.
Carden posted three goals, and Delaney tallied two assists and two ground balls.
Kathryn Fernandopulle posted a career-high five ground balls and three caused turnovers, and
Courtney Kaufman made 10 saves in the victory.
Stonestreet led the way for the Continentals with two goals on the contest. Tufts outshot its hosts 30-24, while holding a huge 14-6 edge in draw controls.
Tufts will finish its regular season on Wednesday, April 26 at home on Bello Field, taking on Bowdoin College at 7 p.m. in NESCAC play.
--JUMBOS--
