SCRANTON, PA (May 11, 2025) -- The top-ranked Tufts University women's lacrosse team had to wait until Sunday to get their turn in the 2025 NCAA Division III Tournament, but the Jumbos had no issue in knocking off host University of Scranton 17-5 in the NCAA Second Round in play from Weiss Field.
Tufts (19-1) wasted no time getting on the board Sunday, as senior
Ella Lesperance found a cutting
Madeline Delaney to open the scoring at the 13:05 mark of the first quarter. That tally would start a 5-0 run over the first 10 minutes of the game, capped by an unassisted score from
Elsa Schutt. Scranton (15-7) found the scoreboard at th 4:54 mark of the period, but goals from senior
Caroline Conaghan and junior
Allie Zorn made it 7-1 Tufts after one.
The momentum would continue into the second quarter, as Tufts outscored the host Royals 6-2 in the frame highlighted by a pair of goals from senior
Margie Carden to make it 13-3 at the halftime intermission.
The Jumbos extended their lead up to as many as 16-3 in the second half, and first-year
Anna Mollahan capped the scoring for the Jumbos with a score with 7:30 to play in regulation.
Tufts defensive unit was stellar on Sunday, led by senior
Kathryn Fernandopulle who had five caused turnovers and a team-high seven ground balls. Defensive partner
Genna Gibbons had eight draw controls and two ground balls as well. Delaney also posted six draw control wins to go with a goal.
Offensively, Lesperance had three assists and a ground ball while Carden and Conaghan each had hat tricks for the Jumbos. Sophomore
Sophia Claps added two goals, while Zorn and sophomore
Schuyler Lloyd added two scores as well.
Emma Joyce scored a goal to go with two ground balls, and Schutt tallied a goal, two loose balls, a caused turnover and a draw control.
Senior
Pascale de Buren had seven saves in 48 minutes of action, while first-year
Devon Chipman came off the bench to stop three shots in 11:37 of play.
Tufts outshot their hosts 41-21 for the game, including holding a 23-13 edge in shots on goal. Tufts forced 18 turnovers for the game, including inducing Scranton into a 19-for-28 rate on clears. The Jumbos were also 4-for-7 on free-position shots, and earned 19 of the game's 26 draws.
Jillian Lopez had three goals and three draw controls for the Royals, and Eileen Hewitt had two assists and two draw wins. Eva Guerino made nine saves in 53 minutes between the pipes for Scranton.
Tufts will come home next weekend to host the NCAA Third Round and Quarterfinals, taking on Pomona-Pitzer Colleges in the NCAA Third Round at 1:30 p.m. on Bello Field. Tufts will also host Salisbury University and St. John Fisher University Saturday at 10:30 a.m. in the other Third Round contest.
--JUMBOS--
