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Tuesday, March 11, 2008
FOR M-LACROSSE, LATE LEAD SLIPS AWAY IN OT LOSS
No. 7 Tufts rallies from five goals down in fourth period to catch Warriors, 13-12
MEDFORD, Mass. – Men’s lacrosse trailed only once in its bid to upset No. 7 nationally-ranked Tufts University, but it came at the worst possible moment -- six minutes into sudden-death overtime -- and provided the Jumbos with a 13-12 double overtime victory Tuesday afternoon.
A 14-2 loser when the teams last met at Bello Field in 2006, Eastern (0-3) led by five goals entering the final period before Tufts (2-0) got back in the game by scoring four unanswered goals. Tufts tied the match 12-12 with 4:36 left in regulation and won it two minutes into the second four-minute overtime when freshman D.J. Hessler scored his third goal of the match – all of which came after halftime. Possessing the ball under heavy pressure behind their own goal, the Warriors lost possession. The ball rolled in front of the net to the feet of an unmarked Hessler, who scored easily to end the match with 1:56 left in the second overtime.
The Warriors moved out to an 11-6 lead by scoring the final three goals of the third period on strikes by junior Matthew Savage (Southington), sophomore Vinny Tornatore (Norwalk) and freshman Brendan Hoppey (Shoreham, NY). They were the first third-period goals of the season for the Warriors, who had stumbled out of the blocks in the second half of their opening two losses.
Trailing 11-6 after three periods, the Jumbos scored 33 seconds into the fourth period, then pulled to within two goals, 11-9, by scoring twice in a span of 16 seconds minutes later.
Eastern junior DJ Simmons (Mystic) tied his career high with five goals – all of which came in the first 27 minues of play and giving him a team-high tengoalsthrough three matches. Tornatore’s goal with four minutes left in the third period represented his first career point. Senior Pete Hamilton (Rutland, VT) assisted on Eastern’s first goal – coming off the stick of Simmons two minutes into play – and also on its last with seven minutes left in regulation that gave Eastern a 12-10 advantage.
Freshman Eric Vasil (Southington) led the Warriors with six ground balls, senior Jon Snedeker (Southington) picking up five and Hoppey and junior Mike Silvestrini (Guilford) four each.
Junior goalie Kyle Savage (Southington) made 15 saves for Eastern, while junior Matt Harrigan made nine for Tufts.
Tufts took 18 more shots than Eastern, but held only a seven-shot advantage on shots on goal.
Tufts is ranked seventh nationally in the most recent USILA Division III national poll and is coming off last year’s NCAA tournament appearance and a final record of 13-4. Under the direction of first-year head coach Justin Axel, Eastern was coming off Sunday’s 10-7 loss to unheralded Lasell College.
Hessler, who now has ten goals in his first two collegiate matches, was joined by
sophomore Patrick Devine’s three-goal game. Tufts was playing its second straight match this year without junior Clem McNally, who scored a team-high 40 goals last year.
Eastern is scheduled to play its first home match Saturday at 2 p.m. against Montclair State University.
Tufts U. 13, Eastern Conn. 12, 2 ot
Complete box
Eastern Connecticut (0-3) 2 5 4 1 (0) ( 0) -- 12
Tufts (2-0) 1 3 2 6 (0) (1) -- 13
Goals: E-D.J. Simmons 5, Brendan Hoppey 2, Tyler Prescott 2, Matthew Savage 2,
Vinny Tornatore; T-D.J. Hessler 3, Patrick Devine 3, Peter Whitney 2, Matt Caple, Chase Bibby, Brett Holm, Connor Ginsberg, Doug DiSesa.
Assists: E-Pete Hamilton 2, Hoppey, Tyler Prescott.T-Hessler 2, Cortese, Whitney
Shots: E-36, T-54; Saves: E, Kyle Savage 15, T-Matt Harrigan 9.
