Tuesday, April 20, 2004

CHICCO NAMED NESCAC MEN'S LACROSSE CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK

MEDFORD – After a solid week as the backbone of the Tufts University Men's Lacrosse team's defense, junior goalkeeper Luke Chicco (Merrick, NY/Calhoun) was honored as the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Co-Player of the Week. He shared the award with Bowdoin College goalkeeper Grant White.

Chicco stopped 65.1 percent (28/43) of the shots he faced this week in an overtime loss at #2 in the country Middlebury College on Wednesday and a 10-4 victory over Colby College. His goals against average for the week was 7.26 in 124 minutes of play.

Despite the loss at Middlebury, Chicco kept the Jumbos in the game late in regulation and in overtime. With the game tied at 10-10 Middlebury's Charley Howe had a chance to win it with 18 seconds left, but Chicco stuffed him from point-blank range. Chicco came up big early in overtime as Howe had a great shot in transition off the face-off, but could not convert. He finished with 15 saves, as Tufts ended up losing in the final seconds of overtime, 11-10.

At Colby, Tufts faced a squad competing with them for a home berth into the conference tournament that starts on May 2. Chicco saved 13 of 17 shots (76.5 percent) including seven in the second half when the Jumbos allowed just one goal. The Mules' four goals were the fewest by a NESCAC opponent against Tufts in two years.

For the season, Chicco is fifth in NESCAC with a 7.79 goals against average and third with a 61.7 save percentage. He sports a 7.60 NESCAC goals against average.

Since winning the goalkeeping job during training camp as a sophomore in 2003, Chicco has amassed a 17-5 record with an 8.39 goals against average and 62.8 save percentage.

Head Coach Mike Daly's Jumbos are 8-2 overall and 4-1 in NESCAC for second place behind Middlebury. Their 38 goals allowed in conference play is second lowest to Amherst College, whom the Jumbos host on Wednesday (Apr. 21) at Kraft Field.

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