Women's Soccer Shuts Out Regionally Ranked Jumbos

Box Score

BEVERLY, Mass. – Endicott College got goals in each half to stop the visiting Tufts University Jumbos and emerge with a 2-0 victory Wednesday afternoon in non-conference women's soccer action at Endicott Stadium. The Gull's win was the first against a team from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) in Endicott women's soccer history.

Colleen Pepin (Fairhaven, Mass.) had a goal and an assist in the game for the Gulls, who improve their record to 7-4. Tufts, who is ranked \#4 in New England according to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) sees their ledger fall to 4-2-2.

Endicott, who outshot the Jumbos 14-5, opened the scoring in the first quarter of an hour on a strike from Pepin. Christine Silva (Stoneham, Mass.) played the ball in from the right flank and it went past Tufts goalie Kristin Wright (Austin, Texas) who made a sprawling attempt at snatching it out of the air. The ball fell to Pepin who blasted it into the open net for her tenth goal of the season.

Pepin turned provider in the second half of the game after receiving a pass from Vanessa Caruccio (Winthrop, Mass.) fifteen minutes in. The senior captain played the ball in the air to Nicole Fournier (Milford, Mass.) who made a brilliant turn and finished high into the far post. It was Fournier's fifth goal of the year and the first assist for Pepin, while Caruccio got her third helper.

Katie Donnelly (Madison, Conn.) made her first start in goal for the Gulls and made two stops en route to a clean sheet.

Donnelly's most spectacular save was on Tufts' best chance of the game. Sophomore forward Anya Kaufman (Evergreen, Col.) got in behind the Gulls defense just five minutes into the second half and threatened to tie the game, but Donnelly came off her line and made a sliding stop to preserve the lead. Kaufman had the only chance in the first half for Tufts, when she put a shot just wide of the left post just after the half-hour mark.

The Jumbos looked to have pulled within a goal when a header off of a corner kick found the back of the net, but the play was called back for a handball. Cleo Hirsch (Hull, Mass.) also had a long shot stopped at the post by Donnelly.

The hosts had their own chances to expand their lead in the second, with the best one coming when a shot by Fournier was tipped over the bar by second-half goalkeeper Phoebe Hanley (Mamaroneck, N.Y.).

Hanley made three stops in the second half of play for the Jumbos, while Wright took the loss making one stop and allowing the game-winning goal to Pepin in the first half.

Endicott will return to conference action Saturday when they travel to Roger Williams. The game, slated for 1:00 pm, will be a rematch of last year's CCC championship game, which Roger Williams won. Tufts will also be back in action in their conference, when they host a NESCAC battle with Connecticut College at noon.