MEDFORD, MA (April 2, 2025) -- Graduate student goalkeeper
Conner Garzone surrendered just two goals while stopping nine shots and junior
Garrett Kelly provided four goals to help lead the No. 1 Tufts University men's lacrosse team to a sound 15-4 win over visiting Williams College Wednesday night on Bello Field in league play.
The win over Williams (3-6, 1-4 New England Small College Athletic Conference) was the 13th straight in the series as the Jumbos have not lost to the Ephs in Medford since 2008. That streak continued quickly on Wednesday, as Kelly got the Jumbos on the board just 2:24 into the game as Kelly struck for his 14th of the season to make it 1-0.
Minutes later, Garzone made a great stop on one end and his outlet quickly turned into a transition goal the other way for
Max Ettinghausen to make it 2-0 with eight minutes remaining in the first quarter. On the next possession for Williams, Garzone made two great stops which once again led to a Jumbos goal. The lead increased to 4-0 for Tufts with 4:20 to go in the first quarter after
Ben Frisoli stripped Harrison Cross of the ball, picked up the grounder and went the distance to score on a rocket unassisted for his sixth of the season.
Junior
Jack Regnery completed the 5-0 first quarter for the Jumbos with his 25th of the year, and the momentum continued into the second with four more unanswered scores to make it 9-0 after the second of the day for
Charlie Tagliaferri with 6:27 to play in the half. Will Doran would stop the Tufts' run with 3:46 left in the half, but Kelly tallied another for the Jumbos as they took a 10-2 lead into halftime.
The Jumbos would be able to get some players some valuable reps in the second half, outscoring the Ephs 5-2 in the second frame to cruise to the league victory.
Garzone finished the game with a season-high .818 save percentage in the contest, as he rejected nine shots while his two goals allowed in 40 minutes of action was a season-low as well. Frisoli was equally as impressive for Tufts, as the long-stick midfielder tallied two goals in addition to three ground balls and two caused turnovers.
Senior
Michael Ayers had a strong game with five ground balls and a caused turnover, and senior short-stick midfielder
Cam Delcristo also scooped up four grounders to go with a forced giveaway. First-year defenders
Davis Owens and
Mack Leonhartt each had two caused turnovers as well, and sophomore
Logan Lee registered two caused turnovers and two grounders as well. Senior George Panagopolous also added two loose balls and a caused turnover.
Offensively, Kelly needed just six shots to get to his team-high four goals, picking up three ground balls as well, and Ettinghausen struck three times on the night as well. Tagliaferri had three points on two goals and an assist, while Regnery tallied twice on 10 shots.
Beau Ryan and
Callum Wood also struck in the fourth quarter for Tufts, which posted a 60-38 edge in shots as well as going a perfect 24-for-24 on clears.
The Jumbos also earned a 52-31 edge on ground balls, and won the face-off battle 16-7. Sophomore
Victor Salcedo was 7-for-9 on draws Wednesday, corralling five ground balls, and senior
Parker Merrill won seven of his 11 face-offs to go with four ground balls. 27 players in all picked up at least one ground ball on the night for Tufts.
Doran had a team-high two goals in the loss for the Ephs, and Matt Wetmore stopped 15 shots in cage for Williams.
Tufts will head back out on the road for a big NESCAC game Saturday, April 5, heading to Middletown, CT for a contest with No. 10 Wesleyan University.
--JUMBOS--
