O’BRIEN’S FOUR PACE TUFTS IN 13-9 VICTORY OVER CAMELS

COLLEGE MEN'S LACROSSE FINAL SCORE
Tufts 13    Connecticut College 9 

At Medford, MA
Saturday, May 1, 2004

Goals: T: Mike O’Brien 4, Michael Hughes 2, Brett Holm 2, Devin Clarke 1, Bryan Griffin 1, Mark Warner 1, Evan Saulsbury 1, Stephen Ginsburg 1; CC, Sean Duddy 2, Lane Carpenter 2, Brendan Rampi 2, Robbie Logan 1, Dave Schwartz 1, Joe Higgins 1.

Assists: T: Warner 3, Griffin 2, Clarke 1, Drew Innis 1; CC, Russ Chase 1, Duddy 1, Chas McLaughlin 1, Schwartz 1, Brad Luckhardt 1.

Saves: T: Brian Atherton (30:00 – 6 GA) 4 saves, Luke Chicco (30:00 – 3 GA) 7 saves;
CC, Topher Grossman (60:00 – 13 GA) 15 saves.

MEDFORD – Sophomore Mike O’Brien (Concord, MA) scored four goals as the Tufts University Men’s Lacrosse team finished its regular-season with a 12-2 mark after a 13-9 victory over Connecticut College on Kraft Field Saturday. The victory ties the Tufts school record for wins in a season, set last year.

The Jumbos, who completed their NESCAC schedule with an 8-1 mark to tie Middlebury College for first place, will be the #2 seed in the conference tournament that starts tomorrow. In an interesting development, Tufts will again host Connecticut College (5-10, 3-6 NESCAC), the #7 seed, in the first round of the tournament on Sunday at 1:00 pm.

The visiting Camels surged to an early 5-2 lead on Saturday. Freshman Lane Carpenter (Easton, CT) scored back-to-back goals a minute apart early in the second quarter to give Connecticut College the early three-goal margin. The Jumbos were able to pull within 6-5 at the half.

Tufts then scored the first three goals of the third quarter, with freshman Mark Warner (Wading River, NY) assisting on two of them, to take an 8-6 lead. The hosts went on to score five goals in the third quarter and led 10-8 when sophomore Evan Saulsbury (Silver Spring, MD) scored with 29 seconds remaining in the third frame.

Freshman long-stick Brett Holm (Longmeadow, MA) scored his second goal of the game 30 seconds into the fourth for an 11-8 Jumbo lead. The Camels answered with sophomore Brendan Rampi’s (North Easton, MA) second goal at 12:48 of the fourth, but 11-9 is as close as they would get.

With an assist on the third Tufts goal, junior Bryan Griffin (West Islip, NY) set the team’s single-season scoring record. He finished with a goal and two assists for a season total of 67 points on 36 goals and 31 assists. He surpassed the mark of 64 points that he set last season to tie Dan German’s mark in 1977. In addition to O’Brien’s and Holm’s multiple-goal games, Tufts sophomore Michael Hughes (Branford, CT) stayed hot with two goals for the Jumbos. Brian Atherton (Derry, NH) started in goal on Seniors’ Day at Tufts, making four saves in the first half. Junior Luke Chicco (Merrick, NY) played the second half and made seven saves.

Junior Topher Grossman (Villanova, PA) was superb in the Connecticut College goal with 15 saves. Rampi, freshman Sean Duddy (Concord, NH) and Carpenter scored twice for the Camels.

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