MEDFORD, MA (November 22, 2025) -- The No. 1 ranked Tufts University men's soccer team fell behind early to Messiah University, but powered back on the strength of two goals in each half to rally for a 4-1 win over the visiting Falcons on Bello Field in the 2025 NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Third Round in a battle of two storied Division III programs.
The match-up was a battle of the two schools with the most national crowns in Division III history, as Messiah (13-8-2) came into the contest with a NCAA record 11 national titles while the Jumbos have climbed the mountain to the top four times prior to this season.
The game could not have started any better for the underdog Falcons, who played quick on a foul near midfield and worked the ball down the field wide to Davis Pagett on the right wing. Pagett played a ball into the box, and Kyle Spodnik was able to wrap his foot around the cross and into the right corner of the goal for the early 1-0 lead just 4:33 into the contest.
Tufts wouldn't be deterred though, as the Jumbos started to get into the game and had three solid chances in the first 20 minutes highlighted by a
Ben Brown header off of a free kick that was blocked just in front. The breakthrough would come in the 21st minute for the Jumbos, as Bargagna played a perfect cross into the back post to
Henry Brown, who finished with his left foot for his seventh goal of the season at 20:49.
The hosts continued to press with the ball for the majority of the first half, and took the lead for good in the 40th minute thanks to the sixth goal of the year by
Xavier Canfin. Senior
Mason Shultz was big on the play, as he drove towards the end line and played a flat ball into
Henry Perkins on the near post. The senior would push a cross through the goal mouth to a wide open Canfin, who tucked home the shot for the 2-1 edge.
The Jumbos came out of halftime and needed less than a minute to increase its lead to 3-1, once again coming through Canfin. The junior striker found the ball at his feet after a clearance attempt from Messiah, and he ripped a right-footed shot past a screened goalkeeper for the tally.
Six minutes later the goals continued to come for the Jumbos, this time through a defender in
Bijan Akhtarzandi-Das in the 52nd minute.
Ben Brown had his header saved beautifully off the crossbar by the Falcon goalkeeper, but Akhtarzandi-Das was there to head home the rebound for his third goal in the last three games.
Tufts had a few more chances that would not go, and held Messiah to just one shot on goal the rest of the way in rolling to the NCAA Third Round game.
Henry Brown led all players with four shot attempts, while Canfin scored on both of his shots on goal. Tufts outshot its visitors on Saturday 20-6, holding a big 11-2 shots on goal advantage.
Patrick Lee fired three shots for the Falcons, while Kessler Forrest made six stops in goal.
Nikola Antic stopped one shot in earning the victory for the Jumbos.
Tufts moves into the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time since 2021, as the Jumbos are 4-2 all-time in the NCAA Elite Eight round. Tufts will take on Bowdoin College Sunday at 1 p.m. for a chance to move into the NCAA Semifinals on December 5 in Salem, VA at Roanoke College.
--JUMBOS--
