The top-ranked Tufts men’s lacrosse team earned a decisive 20–11 victory over Williams in the NESCAC quarterfinals on Bello Field on Saturday. This win not only marks the 14th consecutive victory over Williams but also propels Tufts into the NESCAC semifinals in pursuit of their sixth conference championship in the last seven years.
In the first nine minutes of play, Tufts struggled to find their rhythm early, registering eight failed shot attempts — four of which missed the frame — while also surrendering two turnovers under pressure from the Williams defense. The breakthrough came from senior attacker Max Ettinghausen, who found the back of the net off a well-placed assist from junior attacker Brooks Hauser. Less than 90 seconds later, junior attacker Beau Keough tallied his 15th goal of the season, followed by an unassisted rip from junior midfielder Garrett Kelly to give the Jumbos a 3–0 lead to end the first quarter.
After a faceoff win from senior specialist Parker Merrill and a ground ball snag from junior long-stick midfielder Ben Frisoli, Tufts moved the ball with precision, setting up sophomore attacker Will Emsing for a clear look at goal; Emsing’s shot streaked just beyond the outstretched reach of Williams goalie Matt Wetmore. After a shot from junior attacker Jack Regnery clanged off the crossbar with 13:43 left in the second quarter, Williams was able to capitalize, where, after clearing the ball, defenseman Drew Nicholson found midfielder Jesse Shapiro for the score just 30 seconds later. As Tufts committed three more turnovers, Williams capitalized again, narrowing the gap to 1 point with 6:06 remaining in the second quarter with two additional finishes from attackmen Harrison Cross and Shapiro.
It was after this string of Williams’ goals that Tufts flipped the switch. Throughout the season, they’ve had some slower starts, often needing time for their high-volume shooting strategy to find its rhythm. However, this early lull is typically followed by an offensive surge — marked by rapid ball movement and scoring runs that are nearly impossible to disrupt once they gain momentum.
This was blindingly apparent against the Ephs as the Jumbos shook off a sluggish start, erupting for six goals in the last five minutes of the second quarter, stretching their lead to 7 points by halftime. Regnery added the punctuation mark to the Jumbos’ early goal barrage, netting his 49th and 50th goals of the season. His 50th goal came in style as Tufts’ leading goal scorer rolled back before approaching the goal line extension, leaving his defender trailing behind and giving Regnery room to move his feet through X, cutting around the back of the crease and finishing with a low-to-high snipe to close the half.
While the rest of campus was transfixed by Spring Fling headliner Tinashe and her hit single “Nasty,” the men’s lacrosse team pulled away from Williams with a nasty 7-goal run to open the third quarter, effectively sealing the game before the start of the fourth. Tufts wasted no time coming out of the break, scoring four goals in two and a half minutes, with the damage done by Hauser, Regnery and Emsing.
“We do our best to focus on the next play, regardless of what the scoreboard says or what we’ve done previously,” junior long-stick midfielder Ben Clarke wrote in a message to the Daily. This short memory mindset is a major reason why Tufts competes at full speed through every possession and fights for every 50/50 ball, refusing to let the score dictate the quality of their play.
A key factor in the offensive momentum was the dominance at the faceoff dot, where Merrill and junior faceoff specialist Victor Salcedo showed strokes of brown and blue excellence. Merrill and Salcedo worked seamlessly together, alternating in their roles to control the faceoff circle, combining for an impressive 23 wins out of 26 attempts on the day. Ball possession is crucial for establishing and sustaining offensive pressure; Merrill and Salcedo’s ability to consistently put the Jumbo offense in prime scoring opportunities and face-break chances has been instrumental in the team’s success this season, allowing them to break away from tight games with relentless offensive possession.
This staggering 13-goal run was finally halted by a swift strike from Williams attacker Will Doran, as Williams began to show signs of life late in the third quarter. The Ephs went on to command the final stretch, outscoring the Jumbos 8–3, closing the game with a late scoring surge. With 7:19 left in the game, Williams’ Shapiro completed his hat trick on the day, assisted by Cross. Just 20 seconds later, at the 6:58 mark of the fourth quarter, Cross netted Williams’ final goal of the day, while Cross finished with a hard-earned four goals and one assist. Williams will aim to bounce back next season, as Tufts decisively closed the chapter on Williams’ 7–9 campaign.
While no one should be underestimating this formidable squad, the Jumbos don’t need added motivation to pursue the conference title that eluded their otherwise exceptional Division III championship run last year. “We’re really looking forward to our game against Middlebury. … We have important goals we want to accomplish, but all we’re focused on is the next game, playing our best lacrosse, and continuing to improve,” Clarke wrote in a message to the Daily. Clarke’s comments perfectly capture the Jumbos’ approach: staying locked into the moment, refusing to let future aspirations distract them and never growing complacent with past successes.
The undefeated Jumbos will look to take on a not-yet-determined NESCAC competitor on Saturday at Bello Field in the NESCAC semifinals.
