Teams: Men's Lacrosse: Schedule & Results

JUMBOS CLINCH HOME FIELD FOR NESCAC TOURNEY FIRST ROUND WITH 10-8 WIN

COLLEGE MEN'S LACROSSE FINAL SCORE
Tufts 10, Amherst 8

At Medford, MA
Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Game Box Score

Sophomore Jamie Atkins scored two goals for Tufts versus Amherst

MEDFORD � The 18th ranked Tufts University men's lacrosse team opened up a six-goal lead in the middle of the third quarter and then weathered a late Amherst College comeback to post a 10-8 NESCAC win under the lights at Bello Field on Tuesday night. With the victory, Tufts (9-4, 6-2 NESCAC) clinches a home game for the first round of the conference tournament on Sunday (Apr. 27).

Fourteen different players scored the 18 goals in the game, which also included an astronomical 19 penalties. Junior Clem McNally (Far Hills, NJ) and sophomore Jamie Atkins (Concord, MA) led the winners with two goals apiece. Sophomore Tom McDonnell (Manhasset, NY) scored three times for Amherst (7-7, 2-6), while junior Brett Miller (Wantagh, NY) finished with five assists.

Tufts scored the game's first two goals, Amherst tied the score at 2-2, and then Jumbo freshman D.J. Hessler (Monkton, MD) scored with 46 seconds remaining in the first period to give Tufts a 3-2 advantage. The hosts then out-scored the Lord Jeffs 4-1 in the second period to lead 7-3 at intermission. McNally scored two of the Jumbo goals.

With three of the first four goals in the third period, Tufts had a 10-4 lead on the first career goal by sophomore defender Evan Crosby (Yarmouthport, MA) at 9:11 of the third. Amherst would finish the third quarter with two goals, including the lone goal of the contest by leading scorer T.J. Jackson (Haverford, PA). The Jeffs then get two from McDonnell in the fourth period to pull within 10-8 at 4:09, but they were unable to get any closer.

Neither team was able to take much advantage of the many man-up situations. Tufts finished 1 for 7 and Amherst was 1 for 8. Tufts sophomore Mike Droesch (Setauket, NY) won 12 out of 19 draws. He led the Jumbos with eight ground balls, while seven Lord Jeffs had three apiece. Amherst had a 48-40 edge in shots, but the Jumbos were 33-28 leaders in ground balls.

Junior Matt Harrigan (Darnestown, MD) earned the win with 13 saves in the Tufts net. Amherst junior Matt Pietroforte (Brooklyn, NH) was equally sharp on the night with 16 stops.

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