Box Score MEDFORD – In their first game of the season and after zero goals were scored in regulation time, the Tufts University Jumbos defeated the MIT Engineers 1-0 in a thrilling overtime finish at Bello Field.The crowd made themselves known right away as the seats were full and the field was surrounded by students and fans who have been anxiously awaiting the return of fall sports, which were not played last season as a result of COVID-19.
The Jumbos seemed to feed off that crowd as they created many opportunities to score throughout regulation and ultimately finishing the game with 1:53 left in the first overtime period with a goal by Sean Traynor (pictured) assisted off the head of Calvin Aroh. The goal was the first of Traynor's career. Sophomore Gibson Campbell, making his collegiate debut, gets a second assist on the play for his long ball into the box that was headed by Aroh.
MIT goalie Paarth Desai started the game off with some great saves to keep the Engineers in the game early, one being a diving save to his right off a hard shot by Traynor in the fifth minute. The theme of the game throughout regulation was defense as both teams were going back and forth. Tufts ended up outshooting MIT by just one shot, 7-6, in the first half as Desai made five saves compared to Tufts goalie Erik Lauta's two. In the 29th minute, Tufts' Mikey Brady got behind the defense and fired off a great shot, but Desai managed to make the save. Shortly after, in the 32nd minute, MIT's James Simon put himself in a great position to score, but the shot sailed wide right to keep the score at 0-0 after the first half.
The brown and blue came out in the second half playing stout defense, only allowing four shots from MIT. The Engineers mirrored that style of play as Tufts only got one shot on goal out of their six shots in the second half. That one shot on goal was once again saved by Desai. Lauta didn't get much action in the second half making zero saves, but MIT had the best chance to score as a rocket of a shot from Garrett Robinson screamed past Lauta but hit the left post before the Tufts defense cleared it. Tufts' best chance came towards the end of regulation in the 84th minute on a corner kick from Zach Seigelstein to Aidan Welsh which was headed just high of the crossbar, leaving the score at 0-0 heading into overtime.
There were just two shots during the overtime period, one by each team. MIT had the first chance right out of the gates as Will Seiple fired a shot that went wide right of the goal just two minutes into the period. Tufts responded nicely to the early pressure from MIT and seemed to dominate the time of possession during the overtime period as the ball was on MIT's half of the field for most of the time after Seiple's shot. In the 98th minute, after a cross that was put perfectly in front of the net, Aroh headed the ball to Traynor who was able to strike the ball into the back left corner of the net, giving Tufts the dramatic victory.
Speaking of firsts, this win gave Tufts Head Coach Kyle Dezotell his long-awaited first victory at Tufts. Dezotell was hired in March of 2020 and was able to hold team practices, yet the team was not able to play any games during the fall of 2020. This win moves Tufts to 1-0-0 on the season and MIT falls to 2-1-0 on the year.
Tufts' next game will be a conference game on Saturday, September 11th against Williams College at home at Bello Field. MIT will host Suffolk University next on Saturday, September 11th at Steinbrenner Stadium in Cambridge, Mass.
Watch post-game interview with Sean Traynor ...
