Ludlum Nets Four Goals in 6-1 Victory Over UMass Dartmouth
Andrea RobleS
Amy S. Ludlum ’08 delivered a four-goal, 10-point performance that propelled the Engineers to a 6-1 victory over University of Massachusetts Dartmouth on Tuesday at Steinbrenner Stadium. Ludlum, the reigning NEWMAC Player of the Year, scored four times in the first 37 minutes and assisted on another first-half finish as MIT (3-1-0) cruised to its third consecutive win.
The Engineers’ strikers grabbed command of the match early in the tilt as Jean E. “Liz” Theurer ’10 scored on the first shot of the game, just three minutes into play. Despite a steady rain, Ludlum raced down the left side nearly untouched before delivering a near-perfect cross that Theurer knocked home while sliding to the ground.
Ludlum added her first goal of the afternoon in the 23rd minute on a strong individual effort. After flipping the ball through two defenders in the middle of the pitch, Ludlum planted a 15-yard goal in the top corner of the net. MIT struck two more times over the next six minutes on nearly identical plays. Theurer, who set a personal record on Tuesday with six points, set up Ludlum on both scores with perfectly executed through balls.
UMass Dartmouth (2-2-1) answered MIT’s swarming attack in the 37th minute. Two goal-line saves by Stephanie V. Brenman ’09 and a goal-line block by Jodie Z. Wu ’09 earlier in the match prevented the Corsairs from lighting the board, but Katlyn Duarte finally broke through the Tech defense with her second goal of the season. Despite slimming MIT’s lead to 4-1 with an unassisted finish, the Corsairs quickly lost the momentum as Ludlum responded with her fourth goal of the half 40 seconds later.
The pace of the game slowed considerably in the second half, with neither team able to secure a good chance for most of the half. In the 84th minute, MIT capped the scoring on Theurer’s second strike of the day as Kathryn A. Pesce ’10 and Ludlum each secured a point for assisting Theurer.
Ludlum closed the day with a program-record 10 points, reestablishing her own existing record of nine points, set last season against Emerson. The four goals tied the Engineers’ single-game mark, while Ludlum’s final point of the afternoon moved her into sole possession of second place on the Institute’s all-time scoring list.
Once again, Brenman played well in net for the Engineers and made six saves en route to the win. Despite being shouldered with the loss, UMass Dartmouth freshman Tanya Braga played admirably in goal. The rookie keeper made 11 stops in the match, including several diving saves. MIT outshot UMass Dartmouth, 20-10, and finished with a 6-3 edge in corner kicks.
MIT returns to the field in an away match against Salem State on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 4 p.m.