Beavers Off To Best Start Since 2003 After Stunning Jumbos

MEDFORD, Mass.—First-year Catherine Gilman (Cohasset, Mass.) scored midway through the first half and senior goalkeeper Kayla Costa (Watertown, Mass.) made seven saves to help visiting Babson College stun seventh-ranked Tufts University, 3-0, in non-conference field hockey action on Tuesday afternoon at Bello Field.

With its fifth straight victory, Babson (5-0) is off to its best start since 2003, while Tufts drops to 1-1 on the year.

Junior Victoria Spofford (Merrimac, Mass.) and first-year Ashley Tango (Reading, Mass.) also scored for the Beavers, who snapped an 11-match losing streak against the Jumbos. Senior Elizabeth Holmes (Southborough, Mass.) and sophomore Julie Mortimer (Spencer, Mass.) each finished with an assist in the win. 

Gilman, who hit the post just over five minutes into the match, opened the scoring with with her fourth goal of the year off a feed from Holmes at the 20:39 mark to give the Green and White a 1-0 lead at the break. Costa made three saves early in the second half before Tango knocked in her own rebound of a shot following a penalty corner to make it a two-goal game in the 48th minute.

Babson continued to apply pressure and Spofford was rewarded with her second goal of the year at the 51:26 mark for a 3-0 lead. Tufts sophomore goalkeeper Libby Desruisseau (Buxton, Maine) stopped first-year Lauren Drakeley's (Woodbury, Conn.) shot, but Mortimer collected the loose ball and fed Spofford for the finish.

Desruisseau matched her career high with eight saves for Tufts, which held an 18-13 edge in shots. The Jumbos also finished with a 7-5 advantage in penalty corners.

Both teams return to action on Saturday at 12 p.m. as Babson travels to Clark for its conference opener, while Tufts hosts Connecticut College.

GAME NOTES
• Costa, a two-time New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Defensive Player of the Week selection this season, now has six career shutouts, three of which have come this fall.
• Tango has scored in five straight games to begin her career at Babson.
• Holmes, who was selected as the NEWMAC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, has contributed at least one point in four consecutive games.
• The Beavers are now 3-0 against NESCAC opponents this season following victories over Connecticut College and Wesleyan last week.
• Babson has won nine of its last 10 games going back to last season.