SCHENECTADY, NY (March 28, 2023) -- The No. 2 ranked Tufts University men's lacrosse team rallied from a second-quarter deficit, shutting out No. 6 Union College for the final 38 minutes of the game to earn a hard-fought road 14-7 victory over the Dutchmen in non-conference play from Frank Bailey Field Tuesday evening.
Despite settling for a season-low 14 goals on Tuesday night, the Jumbos (8-0) showed that they could win in a different style game thanks to outstanding defensive play and superb goalkeeping. That's not to say that the offensive unit didn't come through when it mattered most.
The Jumbos scored just 36 seconds into the game, as
Mason Kohn won the opening face-off to set up a
Jack Regnery goal, his eighth of the season, to give the 'Bos the early edge. Union (6-2) came right back with a pair of scores by Jake Mabardy, but senior
Jack Boyden got his first of the game off a pass from
Michael Ayers in transition to deadlock the game at two with just under nine left in the first.
After a Union goal made it 3-2,
Joe Murtha tallied followed by a
George Panagopoulos goal to put the Jumbos back in front. Mabardy netted his third of the game to cap an exciting first quarter that finished with the team knotted at four goals apiece. Union was outshot 21-5 in the first quarter, but scored on all but one of their shots on goal.
The second quarter started like the opening stanza, as Kohn won a face-off that led to a
Charlie Tagliaferri strike to put the Jumbos on top. The Dutchmen would respond though with three straight goals, holding the ball for much of the early part of the frame to take a 7-5 lead after a Peter Kip goal with 8:54 to make it 7-5.
That would be the final time that Union would celebrate a goal on the night, as the Tufts defense would clamp down from that point while first-year
Ethan O'Neill started the comeback with a rocket goal off of a Boyden helper to make it 7-6 with 4:41 to go in the half.
Max Ettinghausen scored with the man-up 90 seconds later to tie the game at seven, which is where the game stood at halftime.
The turning point in the contest was the start to the third quarter, as Kohn scooped and scored his first of the season off the opening face-off to put the Jumbos up a goal. Kohn won the ensuing face-off and Boyden netted his 28th of the season just 18 seconds into the frame to make it 9-7.
Tufts would outscore their hosts 4-0 in the third quarter, as Tagilaferri netted his second of the game and
Tommy Swank buried his 22nd of the season to send the game to the fourth with Tufts up 11-7.
That would be plenty of offense for Tufts, as the defensive unit forced six turnovers in the final frame while Connor Garzone finished off a brilliant game with four more stops to earn the win.
Boyden led Tufts with four points on two goals and two assists, picking up two loose balls as well, while Tagliaferri finished with two goals and an assist.
Sam Frisoli chalked up two goals and two ground balls, and Regnery finished with a goal and assist as he was one of 11 goal scorers for Tufts.
Kyle Adelmann was once again stellar defensively with nine ground balls and three caused turnovers, while Ayers added one forced turnover and four ground balls. Panagopoulos and
Ben Frisoli each snagged three ground balls for Tufts, which tallied 47 for the game. Garzone finished with 13 saves for the contest, surrendering seven goals while picking up a pair of loose balls as well.
Kohn was 9-for-13 on Tuesday evening from the face-off "X" as he added six ground balls, and
Parker Merril returned to earn six wins in 12 face-off opportunities.
Zach Davies contributed a goal and three assists for the Dutchmen, and Mabardy was the leading goal scorer for the game with four. Dan Donahue also made 21 saves for the Dutchmen, who were outshot 67-34 for the game.
Tufts will return home to battle No. 7 Middlebury College in a big New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) contest Saturday, April 1 at 2 p.m. from Bello Field.
--JUMBOS--
