Box Score
MEDFORD, MA – The visiting Williams
men's lacrosse team spotted host Tufts two goals to open the
game, but battled back three times to tie the score, though
eventually losing 10-9 to the 9th ranked Jumbos this
afternoon in the third straight road contest for the Ephs.
With the loss the Ephs lose their second in a row and are now
3-2 on the year with a game at Endicott on Tuesday before they
return to campus. The win lifts Tufts record to 5-0 on the year and
3-0 in NESCAC, while Williams is 2-1 in NESCAC play.
“We just did not play well enough to win,” said Eph
head coach George McCormack. “When you are on the road you
have to out perform the home team. Our lack of execution and
turnovers ultimately cost us.”
Tufts Matt Witko's fourth goal of the game, an unassisted
effort with 5:58 left in the fourth quarter, proved to be the
game-winner. “We had 4-5 shots in the last minute, minute and
a half, but could not get the tying goal,” said McCormack.
“We had our chances.”
The Witko tally broke a 9-9 tie that came as a result of an Eph
goal by Mike Ryan off a feed from Matt Cranshaw with 10:07
remaining in the fourth quarter. The two previous tying goals came
from Richie Reuter at 2:27 of the second quarter, with Sam Hargrove
notching the assist and with 2:21 left in the third quarter when
Corey Jacobs tallied an unassisted goal.
“We did have some bright spots,” noted McCormack.
“[Corey] Jacobs was stellar at the faceoff X; Andrew
D'Ambrosio did an excellent job on D.J. Hessler who is one of
the better players in our league and Richie Reuter played well on
offense.”
On the day both teams recorded 35 shots, but Tufts won three
more ground balls than the Ephs 39-36. Tufts goalie Bryan Petrillo
turned aside 14 of 23 Eph shots on the day to keep the Jumbos
undefeated. The Ephs Stephen Vrla also made 14 saves on the day.
Witko led the Jumbos on offense with four goals and D.J. Hessler
added three. The Ephs were led by Richie Reuter who tallied two
goals and recorded two assists and Matt Cranshaw who netted one
goal and assisted on two more.
Next up for the Ephs is a game at Endicott on Tuesday, before
they return home to face NESCAC foe Trinity next Saturday at 1:00
PM.
“We'll be looking for improvement on both offense
and defense when we play at Endicott Tuesday," said McCormack.
