No. 1 Tufts Rallies Past No. 14 Bates Behind Second-Half Surge

LEWISTON, MAINE (April 8, 2026) -- Facing its toughest test in conference play thus far, the Tufts University men's lacrosse team used a dominant second half and a balanced offensive attack to pull away from No. 14 Bates College for a 14-10 victory on Wednesday afternoon at Garcelon Field.

With the win, Tufts improved to 11-0 overall and 7-0 in NESCAC play, overcoming an early deficit against a strong Bates squad that controlled stretches of the opening half. Tufts also upped its active win streak to 39 games, tops among all current NCAA lacrosse teams. 

The Bobcats dictated the tempo early, winning face-offs and applying pressure in the offensive zone, and they struck first at the 12:18 mark of the opening quarter when Riley McClure finished a feed from Liam Rule to make it 1–0.

Tufts answered midway through the quarter as Jackson Redd converted a setup from Will Emsing to even the score. Just over a minute later, Brooks Hauser gave the Jumbos their first lead of the afternoon, finishing off a pass from Chase Beyer to put Tufts ahead 2-1. Bates responded quickly, however, as Gray Doyle scored unassisted to tie the game before Connor Hartman added another late in the quarter, sending the hosts into the second period with a 3-2 advantage.

The Bobcats continued to build momentum early in the second quarter. Hartman struck again to extend the lead, and Charles Lowe followed with a goal off a Jack Goldbach assist, pushing the margin to 5-2. Despite generating quality opportunities, Tufts struggled to capitalize during this stretch, hitting the post multiple times while Bates goalkeeper Andrew Toland came up with key saves to preserve the lead.

The turning point of the half came midway through the second quarter following a Tufts timeout. Will Emsing broke through with an unassisted goal at 8:21, igniting a shift in momentum.

The Jumbos continued to press, and Chase Beyer cut the deficit to one with an unassisted tally at 2:36. Just 20 seconds later, Harrison Stockdale finished a feed from Beyer to tie the game at 5-5 heading into halftime, capping a 3–0 Tufts run that erased the earlier deficit.

Tufts carried that momentum into the second half and took control in the third quarter. Less than a minute into the period, Hauser scored off an assist from Emsing to give the Jumbos a 6-5 edge. Hauser added another later in the quarter, this time finishing a pass from Nick George to extend the lead to two.

Bates stayed within striking distance, but Tufts continued to respond each time the Bobcats threatened. Beyer scored his second goal of the game to make it 8-6, and after Bates cut the margin to one late in the quarter, Garrett Kelly delivered a crucial goal with just 22 seconds remaining, converting a feed from Redd to send Tufts into the fourth quarter with a 9-7 advantage.

The Jumbos put the game away early in the final period with a decisive run. Ben Frisoli opened the scoring with an unassisted goal at 10:45, and just 31 seconds later, Davis Owens followed with another unassisted strike to stretch the lead to 11-7.

Although Bates answered with a goal to halt the run, Tufts quickly regained control. Jack Regnery finished an assist from Hauser, Emsing added his second goal of the day off a pass from Redd, and Nick George capped the surge with a goal set up by Beyer, extending the lead to 14-8 and effectively putting the game out of reach.

Bates added two late goals in the final minute and a half, but Tufts goalkeeper Jack Old came up with several key saves down the stretch to preserve the 14-10 victory. Old finished with 14 saves in a strong performance between the pipes, helping the Jumbos withstand early pressure and maintain control late.

Tufts showcased impressive offensive depth in the win, with 10 different players finding the back of the net. Beyer led the way with five points on two goals and three assists, while Hauser recorded a hat trick with an assist. Beyer also added 10 ground balls, a team-high.

Emsing added two goals and two assists, and Redd contributed a goal and two assists as the Jumbos consistently generated high-quality scoring chances throughout the contest.

Victor Salcedo finished 9-for-14 in face-offs, adding four grounders, and Jack Donovan picked up three loose balls and caused one turnover. 

Tufts outshot its hosts 45-43 for the game, though Bates held a slight 16-12 advantage in face-off wins. 

Bates got two goals apiece from Goldbach, Hartman and McClure, while Toland made nine stops for the Bobcats. 

Tufts will host No. 8 Wesleyan University at 1 p.m. Saturday on Bello Field for Senior Day. 

--JUMBOS--