MEDFORD, MA (April 1, 2023) -- The No. 2 Tufts University men's lacrosse team built a large lead through three quarters, holding off a late charge from visiting Middlebury College for a 19-15 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) win in a battle of unbeaten squads from Bello Field Saturday afternoon.
The win pushed the Jumbos up to 9-0 on the season, while staying undefeated in the NESCAC through four games. It was a great start for the Jumbos, as they tallied the first six goals of the game capped by an unassisted goal from
Cam Delcristo with 2:45 to go in the first period.
Middlebury (7-1, 4-1 NESCAC) got a pair of goals from William Ryan to make it 7-2, but
Tommy Swank sandwiched a goal from
Kurt Bruun with two of his own to make the score 10-2 with 7:01 remaining in the first half. Cooper DeMaillie and Patrick Jamin scored 50 seconds apart right before the break, but
Jack Boyden netted a goal right before the break off a
Mason Kohn face-off win to send the game to half with Tufts up 11-4.
Boyden netted a pair of goals along with a Delcristo tally to start the third quarter to give the Jumbos a double-digit lead at 14-4. Middlebury would start to gain some traction in the game, and had three great chances in front during a quick flurry, but Connor Garzone made three point-blank saves to keep the Panthers off the board.
The Panthers would score four of the next five goals though, including two man-up goals to close their deficit to six at 18-12 with 3:47 to play. On the ensuing face-off, Kohn won the draw and netted his second of the season to make it a seven-goal lead at 19-12. Middlebury scored three times during a 41-second stretch, but Tufts would win the final face-off and ran out the clock to secure the win.
Boyden racked up another 11 points on four goals and seven assists, as he tallied his 100th career assist on his first helper of the day. Boyden has now registered 10 or more points in four of the last five games and six games this season.
Delcristo had a strong game with career-highs of three goals, two assists, five points along with three ground balls. Swank registered three goals and an assist, taking nine shots, while Bruun fired a game-high 17 shots while scoring three goals and picking up three ground balls.
Tagliaferri scored three times, and Kohn finished with a goal, assist, 11 ground balls while going 19-for-29 at the "X." Garzone was spectacular for the Jumbos, stopping 19 shots, one short of his season-high of 20.
Joey Waldbaum had a very solid game with seven ground balls and two caused turnovers, and
Michael Ayers finished with two caused turnovers and four ground balls.
Sam Sturim caused a pair of turnovers and picked up a goal in addition to a goal for Tufts, which outshot the Panthers 57-47 Saturday. The Jumbos held a 47-42 edge in ground balls.
Ryan registered a team-high six points on four goals and two assists, while Zink tallied three goals as well.
Tufts will be back in NESCAC action on Wednesday evening at 7 p.m., taking on Williams College on Bello Field.
