10-Goal First Quarter Helps No. 1 Men's Lacrosse Cruise Past No. 7 Stevens, 18-7

HOBOKEN, NJ (March 22, 2026) -- The No. 1 Tufts University men's lacrosse team scored 10 goals in the opening quarter, cruising to its 35th straight win as the Jumbos topped host and No. 7 Stevens in action from DeBaun Athletic Complex Sunday afternoon.

The Jumbos set the tone immediately with their defense and transition game before the offense erupted in a decisive first-quarter run. After early saves from goalkeeper Jack Old and caused turnovers from Ben Frisoli and Jack Donovan helped settle things in, Tufts broke through at 11:57 when Jordan Ito finished off a feed from Chase Beyer for the game's first goal. Just 14 seconds later, Victor Salcedo struck off the ensuing face-off win to double the lead.

That quick burst opened the floodgates. Jack Regnery scored twice in a 39-second span, and despite a Stevens man-up goal briefly halting momentum, Tufts responded with another extended run. Goals from Brooks Hauser, Jackson Redd, Regnery, Beyer, Hauser again, and Ben Clarke closed out a 10-1 first quarter that effectively put the game out of reach.

The run was fueled by strong face-off work and possession play, with Salcedo and Erik Helgeson consistently giving Tufts extra opportunities. The Jumbos also controlled the ground ball battle early, while Old anchored the defense with a series of point-blank saves to deny Stevens any chance at a sustained push.

Tufts continued to dictate play in the second quarter. Hauser opened the scoring with an unassisted tally, and Will Emsing later converted off a Jackson Redd assist to extend the lead to 12-1. The Jumbos defense remained sharp, forcing turnovers and limiting Stevens to outside looks, while Old added to his save total during several extra-man situations.

After Stevens scored twice late in the half, Tufts answered again coming out of the break. Redd and Hauser scored in quick succession, including a man-up finish from Hauser assisted by Emsing, pushing the lead to 14-3. Beyer added another during a three-goal stretch in the third, and the Jumbos capitalized on extra-man opportunities with crisp ball movement, including a Garrett Kelly goal set up by Emsing.

Defensively, Tufts continued to disrupt Stevens with active sticks and physical play. The Jumbos finished with 11 caused turnovers and 43 ground balls, consistently winning 50-50 battles and limiting second-chance chances.

Davis Owens, Erik Helgeson, and Salcedo were especially active on the ground, while multiple defenders contributed caused turnovers to keep Stevens from building momentum.

In goal, Old delivered a strong performance, stopping 15 shots over nearly 44 minutes of action to earn the win. He made several key saves during man-down situations and early in possessions to help ignite transition the other way. The Jumbos also received solid relief efforts from Alex Dircks, Will Anderson, and Sam Juhnke, who combined for five saves over the final stretch.

Tufts maintained control in the fourth quarter, with Drew Bossi and PJ Haskell adding goals to cap the scoring. Even as Stevens found a few late man-up opportunities, the Jumbos' defensive depth held firm and preserved the comfortable margin.

Offensively, Tufts was led by Hauser's four goals, while Regnery added three goals and two assists. Regnery now sits with 298 points for his career, and is two points away from becoming just the fifth player in program history with 300 career points. 

Redd and Beyer each finished with two goals and two assists, and Emsing paced the team with three assists to go along with a goal. The four points put Emsing at 100 points for his career. Salcedo also made a major impact at the face-off X, winning 9-of-11 draws while adding a goal and five ground balls.

As a team, Tufts outshot Stevens 59-41, held a 43-34 edge in ground balls, and went 2-for-5 on extra-man opportunities. The Jumbos also won the face-off battle 18-10 overall, controlling possession throughout the afternoon.

Frisoli and Donovan each posted two caused turnovers for the Jumbos, while Owens recorded four grounders and a caused turnover. Erik Helgesen also was 6-of-9 at the X, picking up five loose balls. 

The Jumbos have now won 22 straight games against non-conference opposition.

Tufts will return to New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play on Saturday, March 28 at 2 p.m., as the Jumbos will head to Middlebury, VT to take on Middlebury College.