MEDFORD - The #7 Jumbos improve to 13-1 and move into second place in the NESCAC after a dominating 65-42 performance over the #3 Amherst Lord Jeffs who suffered their first loss of the season. After a 10-game losing streak to the Lord Jeffs, the Jumbos have now strung together three wins in a row over Amherst, dating back to last season. Hayley Kanner led the way for Tufts with 24 points, while freshman Melissa Baptista shot a perfect 5-5 from the floor for 14 points in just ten minutes of action.

Freshman Melissa Baptista tallied 14 points in 10 minutes of play.

Tufts began the game with a huge burst of energy, especially on the defensive end, which disrupted Amherst's offense. On their first two possessions, the Lord Jeffs committed a three-second violation and a travel as Tufts took a quick 4-0 lead.

But the Lord Jeffs found their rhythm and stormed back in a big way putting together a 12-0 run behind a pair of three-pointers from sophomore Hannah Peterson and sophomore Ali Doswell.

Then the freshman Baptista subbed in and took over. Despite being limited to just eight minutes of action in the first half due to foul trouble, the first-year racked up eleven points on 4 of 4 shooting and three steals. Six of those points came on two three-pointers with a defender in her face. With her effort on both ends of the floor, she stole the momentum back from Amherst, helping the Jumbos regain the lead at 16-14 on the heels of a 10-0 scoring run.

Amherst broke the drought on their next possession and went on a 7-0 run of their own behind four points from senior Megan Robertson, capped off by a pretty layup from sophomore Jaimie Renner to retake the lead.

Less than two minutes later, however, Baptista struck again with her second three-pointer to give the Jumbos the narrow 24-23 advantage with 4:30 to play in the half. She would commit her third personal foul on Amherst's next possession, forcing her to sit the rest of the stanza.

But Kanner picked up where Baptista left off and finished the half strong with a jumper, a block, and a three-pointer. The Jumbos used a 16-6 run with under ten minutes to play in the half to take their biggest lead of the game at 32-25, the halftime score.

Tufts recorded five steals in the half and Amherst committed thirteen turnovers, from which the Jumbos converted twelve points.

Freshman Lauren Dillon, who started her fourth game at the point for the Jumbos, had all seven of Tufts' assists in the frame.

Robertson came off the bench for the Lord Jeffs and ended the half with eight points.

The second half started much like the first, with a quick Jumbo scoring spurt. A 6-0 run pushed the Tufts lead to double-digits, forcing Amherst coach G.P. Gromacki to call a timeout.

Out of the stoppage, Robertson knocked down a jumper, but the Jumbos could not be stopped. Baptista re-entered and immediately completed an old-fashioned three-point play. On the ensuing Amherst possession, Josie Lee stole the ball from junior Cheyenne Pritchard and converted a layup on the other end to complete an 8-0 Jumbo run.

Lord Jeff freshman Hannah Hackley cut the run with a five point streak of her own as she hit two jumpers, one from beyond the arc.

However, on the following Tufts possession, Kanner drove the lane hard, getting the shot to go and the foul. She swished the free-throw for a 20-point Jumbo tilt.

The Jumbos continued the offensive roll with with excellent play and ball movement. Lee penetrated into the paint from foul line-extended, stopped just below the free-throw line, and dished to Michela North who had slid to the opposite block while her defender ball-watched. North converted the bucket and drew the foul.

On the next Tufts possession, Lee again found North underneath who was doubled this time, but she made a bounce pass out to an open Kanner who sank her second long ball.

The next two minutes went by scoreless, until Dillon drilled another Jumbo deep ball to give Tufts a 60-34 edge with a quarter of the game left to play. The Jumbos shot 62.5% from downtown, hitting 5 of 8.

Both coaches brought in reserves for some valuable playing time as the clock ticked down. Nicole Brooks nabbed a steal and hit a free-throw, while Hannah Artner nailed a baseline jumper. Maura Folliard also recorded a steal as a result of perfect defensive rotation under the hoop.

Kanner finished the night with 24 points, seven boards, two blocks, and a takeaway, while Dillon handed out ten dimes, netted seven points, and grabbed four rebounds. North added nine points and eight boards.

Robertson was the only Lord Jeff to finish in double-digits with eleven points, as the Jumbos, owners of the #2 scoring defense in the nation, shut down the Amherst offense, allowing just 17 points in the second half. Tufts held the 10th best field-goal percentage team in the country to just 35% shooting, 10% less than their average.

Robertson brought down eight rebounds, which moved her up to 4th all-time in Amherst rebounding history with 722.

The Jumbos will play the second game of their home NESCAC doubleheader weekend tomorrow afternoon at 3:00pm against Trinity.

#

Game Photos by Kelvin Ma / Tufts

#