Box Score MEDFORD – Junior goalie Mason Pollack made a key save and senior Brian Powers forced a turnover late in the game as fourth-ranked Tufts men's lacrosse earned a 15-14 NESCAC win over #13 Williams College on Wednesday night at Bello Field.
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| Sophomore Kyle Helfrich won 67 percent of his face-offs this evening. |
The Jumbos (10-0, 5-0 NESCAC) managed to stay a step ahead of the Ephs (7-2, 3-2), who never led in the game. Tufts junior Nick Shanks, returning to the field after missing two games, led the hosts with three goals and an assist. Sophomore Corey Lund paced Williams with five points (four goals).
Tufts led 8-2 in the middle of the second quarter. After the teams traded goals at the start, the Jumbos went on a 7-1 run to take the six-goal advantage. Senior Nick Katz scored twice during that stretch while Shanks and senior co-captain Danny Murphy both scored and assisted goals.
Williams would turn the game around with their own 7-1 run over 11 minutes surrounding halftime. Lund and sophomore Jared Strauss scored twice each in the final six minutes of the second quarter, including Strauss' goal with 13 seconds remaining until halftime cutting Tufts' lead to 9-6. The Ephs then scored the first three goals of the second half, two by Lund, to tie the game 9-9. Junior Brendan Hoffman scored the only man-up goal of the game at 9:34 of the third to tie it.
The Jumbos responded with a 4-1 spurt including two goals by sophomore Max Waldbaum making it 13-10 in favor of the hosts as the third quarter ended. However, another Lund goal less than a minute into the fourth quarter started a 3-1 Williams run that closed the margin to 14-13.
Hoffman's goal at 5:06 for Williams was answered almost immediately by a Matt Treiber tally for Tufts at 4:41 restoring a two-goal advantage at 15-13. The Ephs then returned the favor, winning the face-off and scoring with junior Kevin Stump making it 15-14.
With 3:35 on the clock, junior William Sperry won the ground ball on the faceoff for the visitors. Hoffman put a shot on goal, but Pollack saved it. Wiliams was whistled for two delay of game penalties with 1:21 and 0:36 on the clock, but sophomore Brian Greenstein caused a turnover giving the Ephs a final possession. Strauss put a shot on goal from close range with 15 seconds remaining in regulation, but Pollack made the stop. The Jumbos were called for a penalty on the play, but Powers caused a turnover as time expired to secure the victory.
The Jumbos out-shot Williams by a wide 57-34 margin, but Eph sophomore Harry Gahagan made 12 saves in net. Tufts also controlled face-offs, with sophomore Kyle Helfrich winning 22 of 33. Ground balls were a close 35-32 in favor of the Jumbos.
Waldbaum and Treiber both finished with three goals for the Jumbos. Powers, senior Stewart Stockdale and senior Luke Kurtz were among the Jumbos picking up three ground balls. Pollack finished with nine saves.
Strauss and Stump both had three goals and an assist for Williams. Junior Rock Stewart finished with two caused turnovers and six ground balls.
Tufts travels to face defending NCAA champion Wesleyan on Saturday. The Ephs host rival Amherst College on Saturday.
