At
Medford, MA
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
|
Eastern Connecticut (1-5) |
4 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
= |
9 |
|
Tufts (4-1) |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
= |
10 |
Goals:
T: Mike O’Brien 3, Bryan Griffin 3, Casey D’Annolfo 1, Billy Granger 1, Matt
Malatesta 1, Devin Clarke 1; EC, Matt Kowalsky 3, Bill Morgan 2, Andrew Handras
2, Brian Weigand 1, Amir Loghmanieh 1.
Assists:
T: Mark Warner 2, Griffin 1, Clarke 1, Adam Delaney-Winn 1, Evan Saulsbury 1;
EC, Brian Hebron 2, Morgan 1.
Saves:
T: Luke Chicco (60 min. – 9 GA) 13 saves; EC, Chris Harinsky (60 min. – 10
GA) 11 saves.
MEDFORD
– Junior Devin Clarke (Ridgewood, NJ) scored with 28 seconds left in
the fourth quarter to lift the Tufts University men’s lacrosse team to a
dramatic 10-9 victory over Eastern Connecticut State University on a rain-soaked
Ellis Oval/Zimman Field on Wednesday afternoon. The victory lifted Tufts, ranked
fourth in New England, to 4-1 overall. The Warriors, #10 in the latest regional
poll, dropped to 1-5.
With
the score tied at 9-9 and the clock winding down into the final two minutes,
Tufts junior goalie Luke Chicco (Merrick, NY) made his 13th
and final save of the game. That led to a ground ball that was scooped up by
Jumbo freshman Brett Holm (Longmeadow, MA), who dashed into the offensive
zone allowing Tufts to call time out with 1:27 on the clock. After killing some
time, Tufts sophomore Mike O’Brien (Concord, MA) made a run, but pulled
back and gave the ball to Clarke, who slung a low shot into the goal for the
game-winner.
Eastern
led early, 6-3, following back-to-back goals by senior Andrew Handras
(Bethpage, NY) less than a minute apart early in the second quarter. The
Jumbos answered with consecutive goals, but the Warriors scored with 38 seconds
remaining in the half to lead 7-5 at the break.
Tufts
dominated possession in the third quarter and got goals from sophomore Billy
Granger (East Setauket, NY) at 8:14 and senior tri-captain Matt Malatesta
(Winchester, MA) at 1:47 to tie the score at 7-7.
Into
the fourth quarter, O’Brien’s third goal of the game put Tufts up 8-7 with
13:36 on the clock. Eastern ended a scoring drought of over 20 minutes when
senior leading scorer Bill Morgan (Windsor, CT) tallied to tie the game
at 8-8 with 9:15 to play. The teams then traded goals and entered the final
three minutes tied at 9-9, leading up to the exciting final minute.
Chicco
was excellent in goal under horrendous conditions for the Jumbos. The game was
played in a heavy rain and the field was a mud bath before long. Eastern’s Chris
Harinsky (Ronkonkoma, NY) finished with 11 saves.
O’Brien,
Tufts junior Bryan Griffin (West Islip, NY) and Eastern’s Matt
Kowalsky (Newington, CT) all scored three goals in the game.
#