Box Score
BOSTON, Mass.—UMass Boston women's soccer (7-3-5) overcame three separate one-goal deficits to earn a 3-3 double-overtime tie Tuesday afternoon against regionally-ranked Tufts University (6-5-2) at the Clark Athletic Center Field.
For the second consecutive game, senior Ericka Garufi (Milton, Mass.) scored a key late goal, as the senior tied the game at 3-3 with 5:49 to play in regulation.
Fellow senior Krista Ledin (Bridgewater, Mass.) led the Beacons with a goal and two assists, while freshman Marina Kelly (Whitman, Mass.) recorded her sixth goal of the year.
Senior midfielder Carla Kruyff registered the first two goals of her senior season and Catherine Greer added the first goal of the day for Tufts, to help the Jumbos snap a 324-minute and 44-second scoreless streak.
Little East Conference Goalie of the Week Dani Perkins (Murrieta, Calif.) stopped five of eight shots to stay unbeaten (6-0-2) on the year. While Tufts keeper Eileen McGarry posted three saves on six shots.
The two teams finished dead even in shots (14-14), while the Beacons held a 5-2 edge in corner kicks.
Greer gave Tufts their first lead and first goal in over three games, when the 5-10 center back headed home a corner at 24:43 of the first half. Kruyff's corner kick sailed to the back post and Greer headed it straight down, off the hand of Perkins and in for a 1-0 lead. The goal snapped a three-plus-game scoring drought that stretched out to 324:44 before Greer's marker.
UMass Boston answered back less than four minutes later off of some terrific tic-tac-toe passing. Freshman Hannah Petersen (Plymouth, Mass.) fed Kelly and Kelly and Ledin proceeded to execute a perfect give-and-go, with Kelly sliding home a shot inside the far post from 10 yards out.
The Jumbos tacked on a second goal at 35:19 thanks to another big play from Kruyff. After a questionable Beacons foul 28-yards away from goal, the senior drove a high shot across the box and just over a leaping Perkins for a 2-1 halftime lead.
Ledin would bring the Beacons even just before the hour-mark, when the senior made a brilliant individual play. Ledin caught a center-back sleeping and thrust her leg in front of an attempted clear to cause a turnover, before then racing past the defender, and slipping a ball just off of McGarry into the back of the net. Tuesday's goal marked the 95th of Ledin's career.
UMass Boston had several chances to grab their first lead of the game in the ensuing moments, but
Nicole McMinamin (AcWorth, Ga.) sent a shot high on a 2-on-1 opportunity and Garufi had her shot go just wide when she was in 1-on-1 with the goalie.
Tufts managed to respond in the 75th minute after being awarded a penalty kick. Kruyff sent a hard low shot into the left-hand corner of the net for the Jumbos third lead of the night at 3-2.
The Beacons' would have one final response though, as Ledin and Garufi hooked up for the equalizer in the 85th minute. Ledin raced down the far sideline and sent a laser cross into the box that found Garufi, who headed it down and in for a 3-3 tie at 84:21.
UMass Boston recorded one final shot in regulation and both shots in overtime, but couldn't find a way to earn the win in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
The Beacons will be back in action for a rare Thursday night contest, as they travel to cross-town foe Emmanuel College Thursday night at 7 p.m.
