MEDFORD, MA (March 2, 2024) -- The No. 2 Tufts University men's lacrosse team got five goals apiece Saturday from sophomore
Jack Regnery and junior
Max Ettinghausen, powering past visiting Connecticut College 19-9 for a season-opening victory in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) action from Bello Field.
Playing for the first time in the 2024 season with a remade attack after the departure of all three starting attack from a season ago, the offense showed no signs of slowing down. After a first couple of minutes that saw three shots nail posts, Tufts finally got on the board just over three minutes into the game on a score from Ettinghausen off a set-up by
Louis Timmins. Bobby Chang would even the game at one on an acrobatic goal for the Camels, but from that point Tufts took control.
Nine minutes into the contest, Timmins scored his first of the season unassisted and a minute later Ettinghausen was assisted by
Garrett Kelly for his second of the game to make it 3-1. Just 22 seconds later, Regnery got on the board for the first time on the game to force a timeout by the visiting Camels. Junior
Charlie Tagliaferri added to the lead just before the quarter break, as he netted a man-up goal off a
Brooks Hauser assist to make it 5-1 going to the second.
Seconds into the second frame, Regnery kept the Tufts' run going with his second and third goals of the game to make it 7-1. After Conn. College stopped the Jumbos' run with a goal, Hauser tallied his first of the year followed by two goals in eight seconds pushed the lead to eight at 10-2 with 7:06 left in the half. Regnery and Kelly each netted two more to send the game to the half with Tufts up 10 at 12-2.
The goals continued to come in the second half for the hosts, as Hauser showcased his shooting talents with a laser to make the score 13-2. Following a goal by the Camels, Regnery started another three-goal spurt with his fifth of the game and Ettinghausen tallied twice in 28 seconds to catch his teammate in goals while making the score 16-3. Conn. College would get some offense going in the fourth quarter but it wasn't enough as the Jumbos rolled to the victory.
Offensively, Ettinghausen set a new personal-best with six points on five goals and one assist, adding five ground balls and 10 shots to his ledger. Hauser posted a new career-high with five points on two goals and three assists, taking nine shots, and Regnery fired a team-high 14 attempts. Kelly posted three points on a goal and two assists, and
Callum Wood netted two goals on two shots on goal to go with one assist.
Defensively,
Michael Ayers had a strong game as he finished with five ground balls and a caused turnover, while sophomore
Ben Frisoli tallied two caused turnovers and four ground balls.
Joey Waldbaum also forced two turnovers and picked up two loose balls, and
Cam Delcristo chalked up three ground balls as well. Between the pipes, senior goalkeeper Connor Garzone was stellar has he stopped 12 shots while allowing just four goals in 45 minutes of action.
Ben Friedman came off the bench to make five saves in the fourth quarter.
The face-off "X" was dominated by Tufts on Saturday, as the Jumbos won 75 percent of 32 draws, highlighted by
Parker Merrill going 11-for-12 with five ground balls. Victor Salcedeo was 8-for-11 while scoring once, and
Erik Helgeson came off the bench to go 4-for-5 as well.
Tufts outshot their visitors on Saturday 58-46, while forcing Connecticut College into eight failed clears and 19 total turnovers. The Jumbos were also 3-for-5 with the extra man Saturday, while holding a decided 46-32 edge in ground balls.
Conn. College (0-1, 0-1 NESCAC) got four points from Aidan McAvoy on two goals and two assists, and Chang finished with two scores as well for the Camels. Will Rice also stopped 17 shots in 59:41 minutes in the crease.
The Jumbos will get a few days off before returning to Bello Field on Wednesday at 6 p.m. for non-conference play, hosting No. 4 Christopher Newport University at 6 p.m. in Medford, MA.
--JUMBOS--
