Tuesday, March 16, 2004

GRIFFIN IS NESCAC CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK AFTER ONE GAME

MEDFORD – Junior attack Bryan Griffin (West Islip, NY/West Islip) picked up right where he left off for the Tufts University Men's Lacrosse team. The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and New England Division III Player of the Year last spring, Griffin was named Co-Player of the Week in NESCAC's first week.

Griffin scored 10 points with four goals and six assists in a 16-4 season opening win at MIT on Saturday (Mar. 13). The six assists tie for second-most in Tufts history, a mark first set by Mike McConnell versus New Hampshire in 1965. The 10 points are a career-high for Griffin, surpassing his seven points (2 goals, 5 assists) against Colby last season.

Griffin scored the first goal of the game at MIT 50 seconds into the first period. After two assists in the second quarter, he then figured in the first five goals of the third quarter with two goals and three assists as Tufts took a commanding 13-2 lead. He capped the day with a goal and an assist in the fourth quarter.

The NESCAC Player of the Week Award is the second for Griffin. He was selected last April 28 after scoring 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points in four games. This week he shares the award with Trinity College freshman attack Curtis Kahn, who scored four goals in his collegiate debut during a 9-8 conference win over Bates.

With 64 points on 41 goals and 23 assists last spring, Griffin tied the Tufts single-season scoring mark originally set by Dan German in 1977. He had 30 goals and 14 assists for 44 points as the NESCAC Rookie of the Year in 2002.

Tufts, ranked 15^th in the latest United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association national poll, plays Eastern Connecticut on Wednesday (Mar. 17) at Endicott College.

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