Tufts' postseason run moving without last year's title-winning goalie
Tufts’ second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division III tournament final has been fueled by an opportunistic offense and a 7-1 record in one-goal games.
But one ingredient in the Jumbos’ ability to defeat Salisbury for last year’s national championship is not expected to play in Sunday’s title against the Sea Gulls.
Junior goalkeeper Steven Foglietta, who keyed Tufts’ 9-6 victory a year ago, suffered an unspecified injury in the team’s 14-13 win against Stevenson on March 23 and made two more starts before being replaced by Patton Watkins.
Since then, the freshman has started in each of the last 14 contests, going 12-2 while registering a 9.00 goals-against average and a .626 save percentage.
Jumbos coach Mike Daly said Foglietta tried to play through the pain, but was pulled after three quarters in an eventual 14-13 win against Western New England on March 28.
“It was [a decision] that we unfortunately had to make,” Daly said Tuesday morning during an NCAA-organized conference call involving the two Division III coaches, four Division I coaches and two Division II coaches who will appear at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore this weekend. “I think it’s a great example of the depth of our team, and when guys need to, they get inserted and they play, and that was the story there.”
Watkins has helped Tufts win six consecutive games. Asked if he anticipated this kind of showing from his freshman, Daly replied, “I’m surprised every day with our 18 to 22 year olds. They’re an elusive animal. We’re not surprised in that regard of his talent. We’re surprised frankly at how well he’s handled every challenge and every situation. He’s played in some enormous games and just has lived up to it.”
Salisbury coach Jim Berkman said he’s noticed that Watkins has borrowed a page from Foglietta’s playbook by playing out of the cage to cut down shooters’ angles.
“So you can’t waste outside shots,” Berkman said. “You maybe have to get the ball inside more, and that’s always been our characteristic anyway.”
