MEDFORD -- Seven Jumbos scored goals, led by three from sophomore Chrissie Attura (Yarmouth, ME), as the Tufts women's lacrosse team earned a critical 13-7 NESCAC victory over ninth-ranked Amherst College on Tuesday afternoon at Bello Field.

The victory helped keep #17 Tufts' hopes for a conference tournament berth alive. The Jumbos, who improved to 7-6 overall and 3-5 in NESCAC, led 7-1 at the half and weathered an Amherst comeback before pulling away late in the second half. The Jeffs, who have now lost four of their last six, fell to 8-5 overall and 5-3 in the league.

The Jumbos charged to a 4-0 lead 12 minutes into the game, with junior Sarah Williams (Bethesda, MD) scoring twice. Amherst got on the scoreboard with a goal by sophomore Mary Noonan (West Roxbury, MA) at 10:43, but it would be their only goal of the first half. Tufts added three more to lead 7-1 at the break, with senior co-captain Lauren Murphy (Hingham, MA) and first-year Jenna Abelli (Framingham, MA) each scoring two first-half goals for the Jumbos.

The Jeffs made a serious charge out of the gate in the second half, scoring four unanswered goals to pull within 7-5 at 22:34. Senior quad-captain Alyssa Briody (Hopewell, NJ) had two of the goals. Attura tallied at 21:44 to break the run and give the Jumbos an 8-5 advantage. The teams then traded goals and it was a 9-7 Jumbo lead after Amherst's Amy Craig (Denver, CO) scored on a free-position shot at 16:33.

That would be the last goal of the game for Amherst. Tufts finished with four goals in the final 15 minutes, two by sophomore Courtney Thomas (Needham, MA) for the 13-7 final. It was the first Tufts victory over Amherst since 1997, ending a string of 12 straight losses. Sophomore goalkeeper Gillian Kline (Chevy Chase, MD) added six saves to the Tufts cause.

Noonan led Amherst with two goals and an assist, while Briody and Craig also scored two goals. Junior Linda McEvoy (Rochester, NY) made 10 saves in goal.

Amherst (8-5, 5-3 NESCAC) 1 6 = 7
Tufts (7-6, 3-5 NESCAC) 7 6 = 13

GOALS:
T, Chrissie Attura 3, Lauren Murphy 2, Sarah Williams 2, Jenna Abelli 2, Courtney Thomas 2, Alyssa Corbett 1, Maya Shoham 1.
A, Mary Noonan 2, Alyssa Briody 2, Amy Craig 2, Liz Wise 1.

ASSISTS:
T, Shoham 1, Murphy 1, Corbett 1, Williams 1.
A, Maddie Hoeg 2, Christina Hopkins 1, Noonan 1, Briody 1.

GOALIES:
T, Gillian Kline (60:00 - 7 GA) 6 saves.
A, Linda McEvoy (60:00 - 13 GA) 10 saves.

2007-04-24