HOBOKEN, N.J. (March 19, 2023) – Graduate student Ryan Leahy matched a season high with 18 saves but it was not enough as No. 20 Stevens Institute of Technology men's lacrosse fell to Tufts University 21-7 Sunday afternoon in a non-conference contest at the DeBaun Athletic Complex.
Graduate student Kevin Crowley led the Ducks in points with three as he scored three times for his sixth hat trick of the season. Sophomore Shea Grant and sophomore Tommy Robertozzi each totaled two points for the Ducks. Grant tallied two assists while Robertozzi had one goal and one assist. The 20th-ranked Ducks (7-2) had their six-game winning streak snapped.
Jack Boyden had an impressive 13-point outing for Tufts (5-0). He scored three times and provided 10 assists to help keep the Jumbos undefeated. Kurt Brunn led the team in goals with five and also added an assist as Tufts remained a perfect 11-0 all-time against Stevens. Stevens fell to 1-2 against ranked opponents this season.
Five Ducks recorded one point. Junior Keegan Hughes, sophomore Blake Creamer, and first-year Matthew Pergola each scored once while sophomore Nicolas Accardo and first-year Joe Leone each recorded an assist.
Leahy stopped 18 shots for the second time this season. The Fort Lauderdale, Florida native has recorded double-digit saves seven times this season. Junior Jake Zeyher made four saves in 13 minutes of action. Conner Garzone made seven saves in a winning effort to lead the Jumbos.
Tufts scored immediately off the opening faceoff to take a 1-0 lead less than ten seconds into the game. The Ducks responded quickly with Crowley scoring with 13:33 left in the quarter to even the score. The Jumbos added goals at the 10:34 and 8:32 marks to take a 3-1 advantage. Just under three minutes later, Robertozzi scored to cut the deficit, but Tufts again responded off of the faceoff to regain their two-goal advantage. With 4:08 on the clock, Pergola found the back of the net on an assist from Robertozzi to pull the Ducks back within a goal.
The Jumbos struck less than two minutes into the second to push their lead back to two. On the ensuing faceoff, Accardo was able to corral the ground ball and took it into the attacking zone and found Crowley for the latter's second on the day. Tufts returned the favor on the next faceoff to give them a 6-4 lead. A little later in the quarter, Stevens was able to crawl back within one as Crowley netted his third. Tufts answered less than a minute later and held a 9-5 lead at the intermission.
Out of the halftime break, Tufts broke the game open, scoring 11 unanswered goals to take a 20-5 advantage going into the final frame. Boyden recorded six of his 10 assists in the quarter. The Jumbos also won 10 of the 12 faceoffs in the quarter.
After the Jumbos executed on a man-advantage opportunity early in the final quarter, Stevens finally broke their goalless drought at the 5:40 mark of the fourth, when Hughes broke through off a Grant pass. Creamer scored on a the power play late in the frame as the Ducks fell for only the second time this season.
The Ducks caused 11 of Tufts' 23 turnovers. Senior Joseph Cawley led the Ducks with five caused turnovers and first-year Luke Lesizza registered four. Two other Ducks recorded one each. Tufts caused 15 of the 30 Duck turnovers, with Joey Walbaum and Cam Delcristo each causing two.
Sophomore Andrew Muller had all 10 of the Ducks' faceoffs wins. Tufts went 21 for 31 in the circle, with Mason Kohn winning 13 for the Jumbos.
The Ducks went 1 for 8 on the man advantage, as Creamer's goal late in the fourth was the only successful opportunity for the Ducks. Tufts was two for eight on its man-up opportunities.
Up Next: No. 20 Men's Lacrosse returns to action on Wednesday, March 29, as they open up MAC Freedom play on the road against FDU-Florham. The game is set for 7 p.m. Stevens is 6-0 all-time against the Devils. Links for live stats and video are posted to StevensDucks.com.
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