Box Score MEDFORD - Top-ranked Tufts never trailed in their home opener against Colby, posting a 16-8 NESCAC men's lacrosse win on Saturday afternoon at Bello Field.
Senior co-captain Ben Andreycak led the Jumbos with three goals and two assists, while junior Austin Carbone tallied one goal with four assists. Tufts is now 4-0 overall and 2-0 in NESCAC.
Colby (2-3, 0-2) was led by three goals apiece from freshman Colton Michel and junior Kevin Seiler.
Senior Garrett Clarke scored twice for Tufts in the first seven minutes as the Jumbos took a 3-1 lead. Man-up goals by Tufts' Connor Bilby and Colby's Cillian Connor helped bring the score to 5-3 Jumbos at the end of an active first quarter.
The teams traded two goals each in the second quarter with Colby's Seiler scoring his second of the game with 40 seconds to go until halftime pulling the Mules within two (7-5) at intermission.
Tufts would take charge in the third quarter, scoring the first four goals and out-scoring Colby 7-1 overall in the period. Seven different players scored goals in the third for Tufts, with only senior co-captain John Uppgren scoring twice. The Jumbos led 14-6 heading into the fourth.
Colby scored the first two goals of the fourth quarter by freshman Max Cushman and Seiler. However, Andreycak scored a pair for Tufts to finish off the scoring as the Jumbos doubled up the Mules.
Senior Jake Gillespie and Uppgren both added three goals and an assist to the Tufts win. Gillespie won five groundballs. Clarke finished with two goals and two assists. Senior face-off man Conor Helfrich won 16 of 25 while senior Chris Sawyer and sophomore Connor Lansdale both caused two turnovers. Freshman Ben Shmerler made his first collegaite start in goal and finished with 13 saves for the Jumbos.
Sophomore Brad McCarthy led Colby defensively with three caused turnovers. Senior Kenny Jacobson caused two turnovers and picked up four groundballs. Senior goalie Dylan Rothenberg made 12 saves and came up with five groundballs.
Tufts out-shot Colby 51-33 and won the groundballs battle 35-26. Tufts was effective in its man-advantage situations with three goals in four attempts.
The Jumbos make their annual spring trip south next week and will play at Stevenson on Tuesday. Colby next faces Washington and Lee also on Tuesday.
#
