MEDFORD, Mass. -- Fourteen Jumbos scored goals as No. 6 Tufts defeated Emmanuel (Mass.) 24-2 in NCAA championship first round action Wednesday afternoon at Bello Field.
Head coach Mike Daly's Jumbos (17-2), the No. 2 scoring team in the nation, netted 12 goals in the first period and never looked back. They were led by five goals and an assist from senior Beau Wood.
Emmanuel, making its first NCAA appearance in only its third season of varsity play, received goals from Jake Pickett and Evan Dolber. The Saints, Great Northeast Athletic Conference champions, finished their season at 15-4.
Pickett was winning face-offs for Emmanuel early and took one all the way to the Jumbo goal and scored at the 10:27 mark of the first period pulling the visitors with 2-1. However, the momentum was short-lived as Tufts would score the next 17 goals.
Eight different players scored goals as Tufts took its 12-1 lead in the first quarter. Junior Chris Schoenhut had three, while sophomore John Uppgren finished the quarter with a goal and three assists. Junior Cole Bailey scored twice and assisted once, senior Peter Bowers tallied twice and sophomore Chris Sawyer set up two goals.
The Jumbos added seven goals in the second period, while Emmanuel's Dolber scored in the final minute as Tufts led 19-2 at intermission.
Tufts spent the vast majority of the second half stalling until a warning was issued. They added five more goals (four in the third quarter), with freshman Austin Carbone in particular showing his promise for the future with a goal and four assists. Freshman Colby Kempe scored his first collegiate goal.
Senior Patton Watkins and sophomore Brian Droesch split time in the Jumbo goal. Watkins stopped eight of the nine Emmanuel shots he saw in 24:13 of play, while Droesch was five for six in 35:47. The Jumbos finished 17 for 30 on face-offs, with nine wins from Ryan Le and eight by Conor Helfrich. Senior Kane Delaney led Tufts with three groundballs.
Junior Austin Lauzier made five saves during three quarters of play in the Saints' goal. Justin Byers played the fourth and made one save. Junior Cody Gallagher and freshman Chris Baglivi tied for the game-high with two caused turnovers. Gallagher picked up three ground balls.
Tufts posted advantages of 49-20 in shots, 37-20 in ground balls and was two for three man-up while the Saints went zero for four.
The Jumbos will advance to play the winner of the Keene State and Endicott game.
