MEDFORD, MA (May 22, 2025) -- The No. 1 Tufts University women's lacrosse team, winners of eight straight including last weekend's NCAA Quarterfinal 8-7 win over Salisbury University, head to Salem, Virginia and Roanoke College the for NCAA Semifinals Friday evening at 7 p.m. The Jumbos will battle No. 6 Gettysburg College in Kerr Stadium for a spot in the NCAA title game Sunday at noon. Middlebury College and Colby College will play in the other NCAA semifinal.
Game Details
Tournament Website
Tournament Bracket
Opponent: No. 6 Gettysburg College
Date: Friday, May 23, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Salem, Virginia at Roanoke College - Kerr Stadium
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Against Gettysburg, Middlebury and Colby
The Jumbos and Bullets of Gettysburg College have played just once before, and that was back in 2022 in Gettysburg as Tufts came away with a 16-9 win. Eight players from this year's Jumbo squad played in that game, led by the seven points from
Caroline Conaghan. The Jumbos have played Colby College twice this season, earning a pair of wins including an 18-9 win over the Mules back in the NESCAC semifinals on Saturday, May 3. The Jumbos are 31-15 against Colby all-time. Tufts is 6-24 all-time against Middlebury College, as the Panthers have won the last five meetings. The last two meetings, both in the regular season in 2024 and 2025, were one-goal games.
A Look at the Jumbos (20-1)
The Jumbos are back in the NCAA Final Four for the fourth time in program history, and the third time in Salem, Virginia as Tufts at the final site inside Kerr Stadium in 2021 and 2022. In both of those seasons, Tufts made the national title game before falling to Salisbury University in 2021 and Middlebury in 2022.
Tufts has earned their spot in the final weekend after topping the University of Scranton in the NCAA Second Round 17-5. Last weekend, Tufts was back on Bello Field and earned a 16-8 win over Pomona-Pitzer before outlasting Salisbury 8-7. The Jumbos and Sea Gulls were tied in the fourth quarter at 5-5, but three quick scores from
Margie Carden,
Madeline Delaney and
Allie Zorn proved to be the difference.
The Jumbos come into the weekend as one of the most balanced teams in the nation, ranking sixth in the country in scoring margin at 10.14 goals per game. The offensive unit has tallied 17 goals per game this season, sixth in Division III, while the defense has also allowed just 6.86 goals per game. The Jumbos are also the top clearing team in the nation, at over 92 percent for the year.
Tufts has taken a whopping 37.57 shots per game this year, best in the nation, while also leading the NESCAC and ranking No. 14 in draw controls per game with 17.05. Last weekend, Tufts dominated on the circle, winning 15 of the 18 draws against Salisbury in the national quarterfinals. Senior All-American
Genna Gibbons ranks first in the NESCAC in draw controls per game with 6.57.
In goal this year, senior
Pascale de Buren has been very strong as she has allowed just 6.92 goals per game, sixth-best in the nation. She also ranks 11th in the country in save percentage at 51.9 percent.
Offensively, Tufts has three All-American attack players in
Margie Carden,
Ella Lesperance and
Allie Zorn. Zorn tops the team in points with 82 this year, ranking second in the NESCAC, while Carden is right behind her with 80 points. Lesperance ranks sixth in the conference in points recorded with 70.
Carden leads the team with 64 goals this year, and Zorn's 59 are fourth-most in the league. Defensively,
Kathryn Fernandopulle missed some time, but the former All-American is second in the NESCAC in ground balls per game with 2.50 per game. She's also top 10 in caused turnovers per game with 1.50.
The Jumbos have allowed double-digit goals in just two games this season, and have gone 2-0 in neutral site games having defeated Colby and Wesleyan in the NESCAC semifinals and finals.
According to NCAA.com, Tufts has played the 7th hardest schedule this season based on opposition win percentage at a strong 70.9 percent. Tufts eight-game win streak is currently best in Division III.
Head coach
Courtney Shute is back in the NCAA Final Four for the fourth time in her tenure at Tufts, which has spanned 12 years. She is a strong 157-49 for her career, while winning 76.2 percent of her games. That winning percentage ranks sixth among active coaches.
This Weekend's Opposition
Gettysburg:
Gettysburg entered the NCAA Tournament as the number six team in the IWLCA Weekly Poll. Their 19-3 record has come through well-rounded play on both offense and defense earning them the sixth best winning percentage in the country (86.4%). After falling in the Centennial Conference Tournament Finals to No. 5 Franklin & Marshall, the Bullets fired off wins against Trinity (Conn.), Washington & Lee and Denison to reach the NCAA Semifinals.
The Bullets offense is powered by junior Julia Daly, whose 63 goals and 48 assists leads the team. Daly has scored a goal or more in every game but one for Gettysburg, and is a consistent threat in front of the net as a shooter and playmaker. Daly was a huge component of the top offense in the Centennial Conference, but was not the lone contributor to the cause. Senior Emily Crane also piled on the goals with 57 and 18 assists.
Four other Bullets have scored more than 25 goals this season, with senior Sophie Smith's 38 being third most on the team. The attack scored five in the Bullets' quarterfinal win against Denison. Junior Maddie Passarello has been a fantastic option off the bench for the Bullets, scoring 31 goals with only two starts despite appearing in every game. Freshman Sarah Scrollin and sophomore Micheala Kelly both add scoring depth as well, with 28 and 25 goals respectively.
Defensively, the Bullets led the Centennial Conference with 9.86 caused turnovers. They have allowed 205 goals and only let up 23.6 shots on goal per game. Lily Macatee, Lauren Bloch and Camryn Epstein compose the core of the defensive stone wall for the Bullets, and the Gettysburg goalkeeper Juliette deVarenne has started every game. deVarrenne was second in the Centennial Conference in goals against average with 9.31 and has made 26 saves for the Bullets in the NCAA Tournament so far.
Gettysburg has won three national crowns in 2011, 2017 and 2018.
Colby:
The Colby Mules came into the NCAA Tournament after a semifinal loss to Tufts in the NESCAC Tournament, but their response has been effective as they bounced Endicott and Stevens out of the tournament before downing conference foe Wesleyan (Conn.) in the NCAA Quarterfinals. They were ranked number four in the final IWLCA poll of the regular season.
The Mules feature a stubborn group on defense, led by senior goalkeeper Jillian Kane. Her 8.14 goals against average is the 20th best mark in the nation, and her 122 saves were fourth most in the NESCAC. In front of her has been a group of stingy defenders led by senior Kat Munter. Munter led the Mules in ground balls, caused turnovers and draw controls to make her a huge part of their possession-focused lacrosse doctrine. The NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year has made for a nice pairing with freshman Gisele Uva, who has caused 27 turnovers of her own.
Senior Julia Jardina leads the Mules in goals from the midfield with 66. Her six game-winners also led the Mules and she has posted eight goals and three assists so far in the tournament. Senior Ainsley Dion has scored 33 goals from the midfield as well, reflecting the Mules' ability to build from their own end. She has also scored eight goals in the tournament, with at least a goal in every round. Senior Kins Helmer has added scoring depth for the Mules off the bench, scoring 20 times in 2 starts and 20 appearances.
Freshman Charlotte Michener has emerged as a solid scoring option for the Mules late in the season. The rookie attack has scored seven goals in tournament play, despite making only two starts in 17 appearances this season. Sophomore attack Tate Ban has proven to be a dynamic option at the top of the Colby offense, with 16 goals and 13 assists showing she can move the ball as well as she can score it. Colby will be a tough team to score against, and their offense has only gotten hotter as postseason play continues.
Middlebury:
The Middlebury Panthers held the number one rank in the penultimate IWLCA poll until Tufts dethroned them in the final week, knocking them down to number two. They carry a 19-1 record into the NCAA Semifinals, and feature a high-powered offense with goal scoring potential up and down the roster.
2025 NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year senior Hope Shue leads the Middlebury attack with 76 goals, the most in the NESCAC and 12th most in the nation. Shue has scored in every game this season for the Panthers, including 13 goals in the NCAA Tournament. Together with junior Caroline Adams and her 48 goals, the pair make for a lethal duo on the Panthers offense. The scoring potential does not stop there, as All-NESCAC First Team senior attack Maggie Coughlin has scored 39 goals with 35 assists for 74 points. Junior attack Skylar Lach has scored 38 goals mostly off the bench, making two starts in 20 appearances.
The Middlebury defense is built around the foundation of two All-NESCAC First Team defenders. Senior Kylie Wilson leads the Panthers with 28 caused turnovers, while Senior Madison Paylor has picked up 21 ground balls and caused 16 turnovers of her own. Freshman Macy Sweeny has made up the third piece of the Panthers defense, with 15 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers.
Middlebury has won the last three NCAA national titles and 10 overall.
Schedule This Weekend
Friday, May 23
Middlebury vs. Colby - 4 PM
Tufts vs. Gettysburg - 7 PM
Sunday, May 25
NCAA Championship Game - Noon
--JUMBOS-
