No 7 Tufts Holds On To Top No. 14 Blue Field Hockey

MEDFORD, Mass.  – No. 7 Tufts University scored the game's only goal at 6:56 of the first half before holding on to defeat No. 14 Wellesley College field hockey, 1-0, in non-conference action on Tuesday evening at Ounjian Field.

The Jumbos remain unbeaten on the year with the win and are now 4-0 overall. The Blue fall to 4-2 on the season, with both loses coming in one-goal games on the road.

Tufts senior Annie Artz (Gates Mills, Ohio) scored the only goal of the contest when she deflected a drive from junior Erin Sanders (Katonah, N.Y.) past Blue goalkeeper Maggie Connelly (Duxbury, Mass.) and into the Wellesley cage. Artz's fourth goal of the season would stand as the game-winner, as the Blue were unable to beat Tufts sophomore Emily Polinski (East Brunswick, N.J.) in the contest.

Polinski finished with two saves, improving to 4-0 with her second shutout in her last two games. Connelly was perfect in net following the opening goal from the Jumbos. Making just her second career start, Connelly turned back 12 Tufts shots to drop to 1-1 on the year.

Tufts finished the game with a 29-6 edge in shots and a 13-2 lead in shots on goal. The Jumbos also had a 12-4 lead in penalty corners taken. 

Connelly got some help on a pair of occasions on the evening, as Blue senior Courtney Peterson (Glastonbury, Conn.) and first year Mitzi Wiggin (North Hampton, N.H.) each recorded a defensive save. Wiggin helped out her goalkeeper just over 22 minutes into the second half making a defensive stop on a rebound bid from Tufts' junior Mary Travers (Princeton, N.J.) after Connelly turned back the initial shot from senior Nicole Arata (Bridgewater, N.J.) on a penalty corner.

Peterson made sure the score stayed 1-0 with 4:25 left in the contest when she denied Artz' attempt to score her second of the game. The Blue drew three of their four penalty corners in the game following Peterson's defensive save, unleashing four shots, but could not tie the score. The final Wellesley attempt of the night off the stick of sophomore Cecie Negron (Midlothian, Va.) bounced off the post and out at 68:32, as Tufts held on for the victory.

Wellesley returns home and to New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Saturday, September 24, when they host rival Mount Holyoke for a 12:00 PM contest.  The Jumbos will travel to UMass-Dartmouth on Thursday, September 22, for a 7:00 PM game.