WOMEN'S LACROSSE EARNS SECOND NCAA TOURNAMENT BERTH, PLAYS AT ENDICOTT ON WEDNESDAY

MEDFORD - The 2011 Tufts University women's lacrosse team earned the program's second berth into the NCAA Division III Championships on Sunday night. The Jumbos will play a first-round game at Endicott College on Wednesday. Game time is 7:00 pm.

Tufts, which received an at large berth, was one of five New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) teams to earn bids in the 31-team NCAA field for 2011. The Jumbos, 11-6 overall, placed fifth in the conference this spring with a 5-4 mark. All four of their losses were by one goal against Colby, Trinity, Middlebury and Bowdoin teams that also earned NCAA berths.

Coach Carol Rappoli's Jumbos then went up to Middlebury on May 1 and defeated the Panthers 13-12 in the conference quarterfinals. They were edged 13-12 by undefeated and eventual league champion Trinity in the semi-finals on Saturday.

This is the second time in three years that the team has gone to the NCAA's. The 2009 squad earned the program's first-ever NCAA berth and advanced into the national quarterfinals with high-scoring wins over Drew (22-15) and St. John Fisher (20-18) in the first two rounds. They were eliminated by Franklin & Marshall in the quarterfinals 12-7. Twelve members of this year's team were on the 2009 NCAA Jumbos.

Tufts already has a victory against Endicott this season, defeating the Gulls 19-10 at home on April 14. Should the Jumbos win in the first round on Wednesday, they would advance to a Saturday second-round contest at a regional site to be determined. Cortland State (18-1), Hamilton (17-1) and Colby (13-4) are also in the same portion of the bracket with Tufts.

More information on Wednesday game at Endicott will be posted when it is available.

NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse

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