Box Score MEDFORD - Senior Kyle Howard-Johnson took a feed from classmate Connor Bilby and scored just 27 seconds into overtime to lift third-ranked Tufts to an 11-10 come-from-behind win over Endicott College in a fantastic men's lacrosse game at Bello Field on Tuesday night.
Endicott led 10-8 at 4:43 of the fourth after a pair of goals four seconds apart. However, the Jumbos scored three times in the final 3:23 to prevent the upset. Tufts won its sixth in a row to improve to 10-1 while the Gulls dropped to 4-8. It was their sixth loss by two or fewer goals.
Tufts was threatening in the offensive end in the closing seconds of regulation when Endicott was whisted for a penalty with just three seconds on the clock. Tufts took possession in the overtime period and Howard-Johnson's only goal of the game came as the penalty expired.
The winning goal in overtime was Tufts' only lead in the game. Endicott charged out to a 4-2 first-quarter margin with junior Colin Bannon scoring twice. His third goal of the game at 12:10 of the second quarter put the Gulls up 5-2. Jumbo senior Jake Gillespie would score the only other goal in the second period late and Endicot took a 5-3 advantage into intermission.
Tufts' Garrett Clarke scored the first goal of the second half making it a 5-4 game, but Bannon continued to lead the Gulls with two more and the visitors were up 7-4 at 3:23 of the third quarter. Jumbo senior Ben Andreycak scored a goal and assisted another 42 seconds apart late in the third and the game went to the fourth with Endicott leading 7-6.
The Jumbos would tie the game after Mitchell Tapley opened the fourth-quarter scoring man-up for Endicott. Gillespie and junior Zach Richman tallied for Tufts evening it up at 8-8 with 6:49 remaining in regulation. Endicott's Matthew Faucher would give the advantage back to his team at 4:49 and then a face-off win and goal just four seconds later by Tommy Hughes put the Gulls ahead 10-8.
Tufts would start its comeback at 3:23 after Gillespie caused a turnover and senior John Uppgren scored to pull the hosts within one. A turnover caused by Connor Lansdale led to a game-tying goal as Andreycak scored with 2:25 on the fourth-quarter clock. Hughes would win the ensuing face-off, but the Gulls turned the ball over. Tufts would have possession for the final 90 seconds and Endicott goalie Cameron Bell made his 20th save of the game on a shot by Howard-Johnson. The Jumbo senior would get his revenge in overtime.
Bell was tremendous for the visitors, including nine saves in the third quarter and five total groundballs. Tufts out-shot Endicott 50-35 and had a 29-21 advantage on groundballs. Face-offs were even with Tufts winning 12 to 11 for the Gulls.
Andreycak finished with two goals and four assists to lead Tufts, while Richman scored three. Junior Tucker Mathers won nine of 12 face-offs while Landers and Carbone on defense both had two caused turnovers and two groundballs. Alex Salazar stopped 11 shots in the Tufts goal.
Bannon had a game-high five goals for Endicott and was their only multiple goal scorer. Hughes and Luke Wallahan finished with a goal and an assist each. Michael Ryan caused two turnovers defensively.
The Jumbos host Amherst in NESCAC action Saturday afternoon at 1 pm. Endicott hosts Wentworth in a Commonwealth Coast Conference game Saturday at noon.
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