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MLAX_Tufts_NCAA_2022_web_JG
15
TUFTS(~1 TUFTS(~1 19-3
26
Winner RIT RIT 21-2
TUFTS(~1 TUFTS(~1
19-3
15
Final
26
RIT RIT
21-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
TUFTS(~1 TUFTS(~1 4 3 4 4 15
RIT RIT 10 6 5 5 26

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse |

Men's Lacrosse beats Tufts 26-15 to advance to NCAA National Championship

ROCHESTER, NY – RIT junior attackman Luke Pilcher tied a career-high with seven goals and added two assists to lead the Tigers to a 26-15 win over Tufts in the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament Semifinals, Sunday, at RIT Turf Field.
 
RIT (21-1) advances to the national championship game for the second straight season and will face Liberty League rival Union in the title game next Sunday (May 29) at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn. Face-off is set for 1:00 p.m. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Pilcher scored off an assist from senior LSM Taylor Jensen 18 seconds into the game before freshman attackman Clifford Gaston gave RIT a 2-0 lead on the first of his career-high seven goals on the day.
  • Tufts tallied at 1:24 before an eight-goal RIT run, including another two by Gaston, pushed the Tigers to a 10-1 lead with 5:53 left in the first quarter.
  • Tufts finished the quarter with three unanswered goals and added two more to start the second to pull within four, 10-6, with 13:20 on the clock. 
  • Commandant scored a man-up tally from close range off a Pilcher assist at 10:50 before Tufts answered 38 seconds later.
  • Pilcher cashed in a feed from senior midfielder Ryan Barnable at 7:55 before Joe Camp came up with a ground ball on the ensuing faceoff and fed Commandant for a goal eight seconds later.
  • Commandant cashed in a Barnable feed just over a minute later before goals by senior attackman Spencer Bell and Pilcher completed the 5-0 run for a 16-7 Tiger halftime lead. 
  • Gaston scored 3:03 into the third quarter for a 10-goal lead, befor Joe Murtha and Jack Boyden scored back-to-back Tufts goals to cut the deficit to 17-9.
  • Gaston bookended a 4-1 run as the Tigers build an 11-goal edge, 21-10, with 3:08 left in the third. 
  • Tufts scored the final goal of the quarter with 45 seconds on the clock, but RIT put the game out of reach with a decisive 5-0 fourth-quarter run, extending its lead to 26-11 with 6:38 left int he game.  
GAME NOTES
  • RIT fired 58 shots, including 35 on target.
  • RIT finished 24-of-25 on clearing attempts, won 19 draws and had 48 ground balls.
  • Pilcher and Gaston each scored seven goals, while Commandant finished with five goals.
  • Bell totaled three goals and senior midfielder Marley Angus finished with two goals and three assists.
  • Jensen led the Tigers with a career-high eight caused turnovers, five ground balls and an assist.
  • Senior Drew Hutchison made 12 saves in net to improve to 21-1 on the season.
  • Graduate student Jimmy Spillane won 18 face-offs and led the Tigers with 13 ground balls.
  • Boyden led Tufts with six goals, while Mac Bredahl finished with two goals and four assists. Conner Garzone made eight saves in net for the Jumbos.
  • The defending Division III national champions are making their 12th-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and 23rd overall.
  • RIT advances to national championship for the second straight season and fourth overall (2021, 2017 and 2013). The Tigers have reached the quarterfinals 17 times and played in 13 national semifinal games.