JUMBOS LOSE IN NESCAC FINAL TO MIDDLEBURY, 15-10

COLLEGE MEN'S LACROSSE FINAL SCORE
NESCAC Championship Game
Middlebury 15    Tufts 10

Goals: T, Devin Clarke 4, Bryan Griffin 2, David Taylor 1, Chris Kollar 1, Mike O'Brien 1, Alex Kerwin 1; M, Charley Howe 4, Christopher Davis 4, Mike Saraceni 2, Jamie Duke 1, Brian Gault 1, Greg Bastis 1, Ben Tobey 1, Aaron Herter 1.

Assists: T, Clarke 3; M, Howe 2, Mike Frissora 2, Saraceni 1, Duek 1, Gault 1, John West 1, Jonathan Sisto 1.

Saves: T, Luke Chicco 19; M, Eric Krieger 11.

Shots: M, 54; T, 36.

Man-Up: M, 2/3; T, 0/1.

Face-offs: M, 19; T, 10.

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. - Middlebury College used eight different goal scorers on its way to the team's third consecutive NESCAC Championship with a 15-10 win over Tufts University in the title game on Sunday. The three-time defending NCAA Champion Panthers will make their seventh NCAA Tournament appearance when the pairings are announced on Sunday night. Tufts is now 12-5 overall and is a long shot to receive an at-large berth into the NCAAs.

Following a scoreless 6:14, Middlebury ran off four straight goals in a 2:42 span to take a 4-0 first quarter lead. Tufts answered with a pair in the final 3:53 of the quarter to make it a 4-2 contest. The lead grew to 6-2 in the second quarter before the Jumbos answered again to make it 6-3. Christopher Davis scored with just 33 seconds left in the first half to make it a 7-3 game at the half.

Tufts sophomore Devin Clarke (Ridgewood, NJ) opened the second half scoring just 1:00 into the second half for the Jumbos as they cut the lead to three. Davis and Ben Toby scored 10 seconds apart for Middlebury to increase the lead to 9-4. The lead grew to 10-4 before Tufts scored three of the next four goals in the third quarter to cut the margin to 11-7. Sophomore Bryan Griffin (West Islip, NY) scored two goals during the run for Tufts. Clarke, who had scored the final goal of the third quarter, opened the fourth quarter with a goal 1:02 in the session to cut the lead to 11-8. Middlebury answered with a big three-goal run to regain a comfortable 14-8 lead with 9:01 remaining. The team's exchanged the final three goals of the game to make it a 15-10 final.

Howe led Middlebury with four goals and two assists on the day, while Davis also scored four. Clarke paced Tufts with four goals and three assists, while Griffin added a pair. The Panthers now go off to try to win their fourth straight national championship. Tufts, due to a very small amount of at-large NCAA berths into the tournament, have more than likely reached the end of one of their best seasons in history.

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Middlebury Scoring: Charley Howe 4-2, Christopher Davis 4-0, Mike Saraceni
2-1, Jamie Duke 1-1, Brian Gault 1-1, Mike Frissora 0-2, Greg Bastis 1-0,
Ben Tobey 1-0, Aaron Herter 1-0, John West 0-1, Jonathan Sisto 0-1. 

Tufts Scoring: Devin Clarke 4-3, Bryan Griffin 2-0, David Taylor 1-0, Chris
Kollar 1-0, Mike O'Brien 1-0, Alex Kerwin 1-0.

Shots: Midd. 54, Tufts 36
Man-Up: Midd. 2/3, Tufts 0/1
Face-offs: Midd. 19, Tufts 10

GOALKEEPING (saves)
NAME MIN. G 1 2 3 4 TOTAL
Eric Krieger-M 60:00 10 4 3 2 2 11
Luke Chicco-T 60:00 15 2 5 5 7 19