TUFTS TOPS BOWDOIN 14-13 IN FIRST ROUND OF NESCAC PLAYOFFS

COLLEGE MEN'S LACROSSE FINAL SCORE
NESCAC Playoffs First Round
Tufts 14            Bowdoin 13

At Medford, MA
Sunday, April 27, 2003

Goals: T, David Taylor 3, Devin Clarke 3, Bryan Griffin 2, Mike O’Brien 2, Chris Kollar 1, Drew Innis 1, Michael Hughes 1, Alex Kerwin 1; B, Kyle Courtiss 3, Connor Fitzgerald 2, Ford Gurall 2, Ted Scholhamer 1, Chris Eaton 1, Andy Nelson 1, Jordan Fay 1, Ford Barker 1 Carl Klimpt 1.

Assists: T, Griffin 3, Taylor 2, Kollar 1, Clarke 1, Matt Malatesta 1, Innis 1; B, Fitzgerald 2, Gurall 2, Courtiss 1, Scholhamer 1, Barker 1.  

Saves: T, Luke Chicco 15; B, Grant White 19.

MEDFORD – Sophomore Bryan Griffin (West Islip, NY) scored the game-winning goal while falling to his knees with just 40 seconds remaining to give the Tufts Jumbos an exciting 14-13 victory over the Bowdoin Polar Bears in the first round of the NESCAC Playoffs on Sunday afternoon at Zimman Field.  The win sends the Jumbos to the NESCAC final four next weekend at #1 seeded Middlebury College.  The Jumbos (10-4), the #2 seed in the tournament, will play #3 Wesleyan University in the semis on Saturday. Bowdoin finishes its season at 7-9.

The game was a high-scoring affair for the first three quarters as the Polar Bears and Jumbos entered the final stanza knotted at 12-12.  Sophomores David Taylor (Burke, VA) and Devin Clarke (Ridgewood, NJ), along with classmate Griffin, paced the Tufts offense all afternoon.  Taylor notched three goals and two assists, Clarke also had a hat trick along with an assist and Griffin had two goals and three assists.  Another sophomore, Luke Chicco (Merrick, NY), made 10 saves to earn the win.

Freshman Connor Fitzgerald (Hingham, MA), senior Kyle Courliss (Duxbury, MA) and junior Ford Gurall (Concord, MA) all had four points in a losing effort for the Polar Bears.  Courtiss scored three times. Bowdoin goalie Grant White (Charlottesville, VA) had 19 stops in the goal.

Neither team was able to open more than a two-goal lead in a back-and-forth game. Bowdoin led 2-0 early, 4-3 after one period and 8-7 at the half. Tufts had leads of 7-5 in the second, and 11-9 and 12-10 in the third. Bowdoin freshman Ford Barker (Southborough, MA) scored an extra-man goal with 3:59 remaining in regulation to tie it at 13-13, but Griffin’s heroics in the final minute sent the Jumbos on to the next round.

#