Teams: Men's Lacrosse: Schedule & Results

SECOND HALF SURGE POWERS TUFTS PAST COLBY

COLLEGE MEN'S LACROSSE FINAL SCORE
Tufts 12    Colby 9

At Medford, MA
Saturday, April 9, 2007

Game Box Score

Clem McNally scored four second-half goals for Tufts

MEDFORD -- The fifth-ranked Tufts University men's lacrosse team scored five unanswered second-half goals to come from behind and seal a 12-9 victory over Colby College in NESCAC play on Saturday afternoon at Bello Field. The Jumbo offense was led by sophomore Clem McNally (Farhills, NJ) with four goals and senior Chris Connelly (Wilton, CT) with a goal and three assists.

Coupled with an 11-7 Williams loss to Wesleyan, the Jumbos gained sole possession of first place in NESCAC with a 4-0 record. They improved to 7-1 overall, while Colby dropped to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in the league.

The Mules came into Medford with a sub-.500 record, but on the momentum of a victory against #14 Middlebury in two overtimes last week. They played excellent lacrosse, rallying behind sophomore goalie Alex Farmer (Madison, CT), who stood on his head in goal making 23 saves including several on point-blank shots. The Mule offense was guided by junior Drew Piekarski's (East Sandwich, MA) hat-trick and senior Rory Murphy's (East Brunswick ME) two goals and assist.

Colby took an early 1-0 lead when senior James Brady (East Walpole, MA) scored an unassisted goal at the 11:05 mark. Tufts would answer with unassisted goals by junior Connor Ginsberg (New Haven, CT) at 9:02 and Connelly at 3:52 of the first period. Tufts took a 3-1 lead early in the second period on a break-away clear from sophomore long-pole Jordan Yarboro (Herndon, VA), his second goal in the last three games. Colby would battle back, as they did all afternoon, to take a 6-5 lead into intermission. Murphy scored twice in the second quarter.

Tufts flexed its muscle in the second half with a five-goal spurt that spanned the entire third quarter and the beginning of the fourth. McNally was the catalyst, netting three of his four goals in the sequence. With Tufts staked to a 10-6 lead early in the fourth quarter, Colby took some momentum back by becoming more physical. Piekarski netted two straight goals for the Mules to close the gap to 10-8, but McNally scored his fourth of the day and Tufts sophomore goalie Matt Harrigan (Darnestown, MD) shut the door with crucial saves (14 total) and a key clear in the end.

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