Hoboken, N.J. – The No. 12/13 Stevens Institute of Technology men's lacrosse team was edged by No. 1 Tufts University, 9-6, on Saturday afternoon.
 
Shea Grant tallied a goal and two assists for Stevens (5-3), while Max Ettinghausen led a trio of Jumbos (6-0) with two goals apiece.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Stevens controlled the opening faceoff and needed just 1:05 to break through, as Matthew Pergola netted an unassisted goal. The Ducks' defense, anchored by goalkeeper Cooper Foote and defenders Luke Lesizza and Aidan Long, stymied the Tufts offense, forcing a pair of shot clock violations. Stevens doubled its lead with 6:37 remaining in the first quarter when Shea Grant connected with Joseph Grippo, who fired a shot past the Jumbos' goalkeeper.
 
Late in the quarter, Tommy Robertozzi forced a turnover behind the net and fed Pergola, who rifled a shot past the Tufts goalie. The Ducks continued their strong start, adding two more goals before the end of the period. Connor Gabilanes and Grant each registered unassisted tallies, giving Stevens a commanding 5-0 lead after one quarter.
 
Foote made three early saves in the second quarter before Tufts finally broke through. With Joe Leone serving a 30-second penalty, Ettinghausen corralled a loose ball in front and found the back of the net. After a shot clock violation against Stevens, Ettinghausen assisted Brooks Hauser, cutting the deficit to 5-2 with 6:20 left in the half. The Jumbos continued to chip away, adding another goal with 3:11 remaining to close the gap to 5-3 at halftime.
 
Tufts held a slim 21-19 advantage in shots over the opening 30 minutes, while Foote made eight first-half saves.
 
The Jumbos carried their momentum into the third quarter, scoring four unanswered goals to take their first lead of the game on a man-up goal from Charlie Tagliaferri. Tufts' goalkeeper Connor Garzone played a pivotal role, turning away six shots in the period.
The visitors added another goal early in the fourth quarter before Stevens finally halted the 8-0 run with a goal from Robertozzi. 
 
Foote and Garzone traded saves down the stretch, with neither team able to break through. Grippo and Gabilanes had late opportunities to close the gap, including a shot from Gabilanes with 2:03 remaining that was denied by Garzone. As Stevens pressed to force a turnover, Tufts' Garrett Kelly sealed the win with a goal in the final 50 seconds.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Stevens held Tufts under 10 goals for the first time since the Jumbos scored nine against Wesleyan on April 6, 2019.
• Pergola has recorded two or more goals in all but one game this season after scoring twice today.
• Bryan Creamer was a force in the midfield, collecting a season-high seven ground balls and causing one turnover.
• Foote recorded a season-high 17 saves in the setback.

UP NEXT
The Ducks wrap up non-conference play on Saturday when they visit Eastern University for a 1 p.m. matchup.