Teams: Men's Lacrosse: Schedule & Results

JUMBOS COME BACK ON EPHS FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN, 13-9

COLLEGE MEN'S LACROSSE FINAL SCORE
Tufts 13, Williams 9

At Williamstown, MA
Saturday, March 21, 2009

Game Box Score

Jamie Atkins scored two timely goals for the Jumbos

WILLIAMSTOWN -- Down 4-1 early and trailing 6-5 in the third quarter, the Tufts University men's lacrosse team rallied for a 13-9 win at Williams College in NESCAC action on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore D.J. Hessler (Monkton, MD) and junior Jamie Atkins (Concord, MA) both scored twice during a 7-1 Tufts run from the third quarter into the fourth that put the game in their control.

Tied for 16th in this week's United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association poll, Tufts improves to 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the league. They currently share first place in NESCAC with Bowdoin. The Jumbos were led by Hessler's three goals and two assists, senior goalie Matt Harrigan's (Darnestown, MD) 12 saves and a 10 for 17 face-off performance by junior Mike Droesch (Setauket, NY).

Williams, which fell to 1-3 overall and 1-2 in the league, got three goals and an assist from Matt Cranshaw and 12 saves by goalie Michael Gerbush.

Sophomore Ryan Molloy (Setauket, NY) scored the first goal for Tufts at 12:48, but Williams scored the next three including two by David Hawley. The Jumbos pulled within 3-2 on a goal by Droesch, but the Ephs closed the first quarter on Kevin Connolly's goal with two seconds remaining to lead 4-2.

The Jumbos came back to tie the score at 5-5 by halftime with a 3-1 second period. Senior Peter Whitney's (Baltimore, MD) goal with 1:31 left until intermission tied it. Tufts, which did not commit a penalty in the game, failed to convert on three man-up situations in the first 30 minutes.

Into the third, Cranshaw scored unassisted at 8:30 to give the lead back to Williams at 6-5. However, the Jumbos responded in a big way. Hessler scored two and assisted on the other as Tufts scored three straight to lead 8-6 at 2:13. After Williams scored with 1:18 left in the third for an 8-7 score, Jumbo senior Kevin Williams (Merrick, NY) netted a goal with 24 seconds remaining and the Tufts lead was two again (9-7).

Williams' goal started a four-goal Tufts run that carried into the fourth quarter. Capping the stretch was a Matt Witko (Chappaqua, NY) tally that made it 12-7 Tufts. Senior tri-captain Clem McNally (Far Hills, NJ) scored and assisted during the 4-0 run. Late in the fourth, the Ephs sandwiched two goals around Williams' second of the game for Tufts to finish up the scoring.

The teams were very even statistically, with shots deadlocked at 38-38 and Tufts holding a slight 44-40 margin in ground balls. The Jumbos won 15 out of 26 face-offs.

Tufts hosts a non-league game against Mount Ida on Monday. Williams plays next when they travel to Roanoke on Wednesday.

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