MEDFORD, MA (September 5, 2026) – Sophomore Eleanor Helm and junior Hannah Murray scored two goals each as defending NCAA champion and #1 ranked Tufts field hockey opened its 2026 season with a 5-1 NESCAC victory over Trinity College at Ounjian Field on Saturday night.

Helm, one of the top first-years in the nation last year when she scored 13 times, tallied a pair of brilliant goals tonight. She twice stick-handled through the Bantam defense to score. Her first put Tufts up 1-0 three minutes into the game, and she later scored to give the Jumbos a 3-0 advantage early in the third quarter.

Murray, building off a seven-goal season last year, controlled a bouncing pass through the defense from senior Reagan Malo and tapped in a back-hander in the sixth minute of play as Tufts took a quick 2-0 margin. She would also tally the fifth and final Tufts goal with five minutes remaining in regulation. With her back to the cage, she took a pass from the outside by first-year Cara Passios, turned and sent a shot through traffic into the cage. Passios picked up her first career point on the play.

Tufts' other goal, which made it 4-0, came in the middle of the third on one of their seven corners. Senior Lilly Ragusa's insert deflected off sophomore Kate Wahler's stick to junior Eleanor Luft, whose blast was redirected in by Ragusa.

The Bantams would break up the shutout on a goal by junior Riley Harrington late in the game. She got free in the middle of the circle and deflected a ball sent in from out at the 23-meter line by sophomore Sophie Watson.

After the two early goals, Tufts' lead had remained 2-0 at halftime due to strong netminding by Trinity junior Sydney Korkosz. She stopped six shots in the second quarter and would finish the game with 14 saves. The Bantams also had a pair of defensive saves in the contest, one by junior Alison Gerber in the second quarter, and another from senior Tatum Stickney in the fourth.

Tufts did not allow a Trinity shot attempt in the first half. Jumbo senior goalie Isabel Ginns, making her first collegiate start, thwarted a pair of Trinity attempts by senior Brooke DiBiase late in the third quarter and finished with three saves total.

Shots finished at 29-7 in favor of Tufts, while the Jumbos did not allow a Bantam corner while earning seven of their own.

The Jumbos have now won the last 13 games in the series against Trinity dating back to 2015.