Tufts Flexes Championship Pedigree, Advances to Seventh Straight Quarterfinal

Tufts University continues to look every bit like the team chasing a third straight national championship after a dominant opening weekend in the NCAA Tournament.

The Jumbos opened tournament play by rolling past Rhodes College 17-9 in the Second Round before putting together one of the most explosive performances of the weekend in a 24-10 Third Round win over Middlebury College to punch their ticket back to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the seventh consecutive season.

Against Rhodes, Tufts wasted no time taking control, jumping out to an 8-0 lead and never looking back. The Jumbos dominated possession throughout the afternoon, winning 20 of 30 faceoffs while holding a commanding 62-24 edge in ground balls.

Chase Beyer led the offense with five points, while Brooks Hauser and Jack Regnery continued to fuel one of the most dangerous offenses in DeeThreeLax. Tufts piled up 68 shots in the victory and looked firmly in postseason form from the opening whistle.

If Saturday was dominant, Sunday was overwhelming.

After trailing early in the second quarter against Middlebury, the Jumbos completely flipped the game with a devastating 6-0 run before halftime and then buried the Panthers with a third quarter explosion. Tufts erupted for 13 goals in the third frame alone, turning a competitive matchup into a runaway and reminding the rest of the bracket exactly why the road to the title still runs through Medford.

Regnery exploded for eight points with six goals and two assists, while Hauser added another eight-point performance of his own. Tufts’ starting offense combined for 21 points in the win, showcasing the depth and firepower that has separated the Jumbos from much of the country over the last several seasons.

Beyond the offensive fireworks, Tufts controlled nearly every phase of the game. The Jumbos forced 28 Middlebury turnovers, dominated the ground ball battle, and once again overwhelmed opponents with relentless pace and transition play.

Now sitting at 18-1, Tufts moves on to face York College of Pennsylvania in the NCAA Quarterfinals as the defending champions continue their pursuit of another national title.

York Locks Down Defensively, Marches Back to NCAA Quarterfinals

York College of Pennsylvania looked every bit like a legitimate national title contender during opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament, using elite defense and balanced offense to secure wins over Colorado College and University of Lynchburg to advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals.

The Spartans opened the weekend with an 11-4 defensive masterclass against Colorado College in the Second Round. After falling behind 3-1 early in the opening quarter, York completely slammed the door shut. From that point forward, the Spartans allowed just one goal over the final 50 minutes of play while turning the game into a showcase of why York owns one of the top scoring defenses in DeeThreeLax.

A full-field heave from defenseman Bear Evans helped ignite the momentum shift, and York never looked back. The Spartans put up shutouts in both the second and third quarters while holding Colorado to season lows in goals, shots, and ground balls.

Cory Bergmann fueled the offense with three third-quarter assists, while the faceoff unit helped York dominate possession throughout the second half. The Spartans extended their winning streak to 16 straight games and once again showed why their defensive identity makes them one of the toughest teams left in the tournament field.

York followed that performance up with an impressive 18-12  victory over Lynchburg in the Third Round to punch its ticket to the quarterfinals for the sixth time in program history. The Spartans jumped on Lynchburg early with a six-goal first quarter led by Bergmann and Nate Schilling, immediately putting pressure on one of the highest-scoring offenses in the country. While the Hornets kept things competitive through the middle quarters, York consistently answered every push.

The difference came in the fourth quarter. York’s defense tightened up late, forcing four turnovers in the final frame while controlling possession and winning key ground balls to pull away. The Spartans held Lynchburg, a team averaging nearly 19 goals per game entering the weekend to its second-lowest offensive output of the season.

Bergmann delivered one of the best postseason performances in program history, exploding for 10 points on five goals and five assists. His 10-point outing tied for the second-most points in York program history and marked the highest point total by a Spartan in an NCAA Tournament game.

Now riding a 17-game winning streak, York heads into the NCAA Quarterfinals with serious momentum as the Spartans prepare for a heavyweight showdown with defending national champion Tufts University.

Bowdoin Survives and Advances, Polar Bears Head Back to Quarterfinals

Bowdoin College is heading back to the NCAA Quarterfinals after putting together an impressive opening weekend that featured both dominant defense and a gritty late-game response under pressure.

The Polar Bears opened tournament play with a commanding 16-6 win over University of Scranton before grinding out a hard-fought 17-14 victory over Stevens Institute of Technology in the Third Round.

Against Scranton, Bowdoin turned a competitive early game into a runaway behind a suffocating defensive effort. After trailing 2-1 midway through the first quarter, the Polar Bears exploded for four goals in the final minutes of the opening frame and never looked back.

That momentum sparked a massive 9-0 run as Bowdoin built an 11-3 halftime lead and completely controlled the pace the rest of the afternoon. The Polar Bears allowed just two goals over a stretch of nearly 50 minutes while showcasing the balanced depth that has made them one of the most complete teams in the country.

Bowdoin saw 13 different players find the back of the net in the victory, while Chris Berry orchestrated the offense with five assists. In goal, Alec Delgado stood tall with 14 saves, and the Polar Bear defense, led by Alex Byrne, made life miserable for the Royals throughout the afternoon.

Sunday’s matchup with Stevens was an entirely different challenge. The Ducks refused to go away, answering nearly every Bowdoin run and forcing the Polar Bears into a tense fourth-quarter battle. Bowdoin led throughout the game, but Stevens repeatedly clawed back, including tying the contest at 14-14 with just over eight minutes remaining.

That’s when the Polar Bears delivered their biggest stretch of the weekend.

After a critical save from Delgado, Sam Raye-Steiner buried the go-ahead goal with 6:40 remaining before adding a man-up score moments later. Just seconds after a faceoff win, Casey Ryan added another dagger to cap a decisive 3-0 closing run that sealed the 17-14 victory.

Ryan delivered a historic performance, finishing with nine points on four goals and five assists while breaking Bowdoin’s single-season points record with 116 points on the year. Raye-Steiner added four goals of his own, while Berry and Hudson Greene continued to fuel a high-powered offense.

Now sitting at 18-1, Bowdoin advances to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the fourth time in the last five seasons, where the Polar Bears will meet undefeated Cinderella story Hope College with a trip to Championship Weekend on the line.

Hope Continues Cinderella Run, Flying Dutchmen Shock DeeThreeLax and Stay Unbeaten

The story of the NCAA Tournament so far has been Hope College. The undefeated Flying Dutchmen continued their magical postseason run this weekend, upsetting both Ithaca College and Bates College to punch the program’s first-ever ticket to the NCAA Quarterfinals. At 20-0, Hope now stands as the lone unbeaten team remaining in men’s DeeThreeLax and has quickly become the Cinderella story captivating the national tournament.

The Flying Dutchmen opened the weekend with a statement 14-11 victory over nationally-ranked Ithaca in the Second Round. Locked in an 8-8 battle early in the third quarter, Hope once again showed the poise and confidence that has defined this season. Instead of blinking under pressure, the Flying Dutchmen exploded for a decisive 5-0 run that completely flipped the game.

Gibson Heethuis delivered one of the biggest moments of the afternoon, scoring the go-ahead goal before helping fuel the offensive surge. Preston Hoexum added a game-high five goals, while Hope’s offense consistently found quality looks against a strong Ithaca defense.

Behind the offense, senior goalie Jack Balmforth came up huge with 15 saves, while the Hope defense forced mistakes and controlled possession throughout the second half. The Flying Dutchmen committed just two turnovers compared to 11 by Ithaca, continuing a trend that has made Hope one of the most disciplined teams in the country.

Then came Saturday night. Facing nationally ranked Bates on the road in Lewiston, Hope once again found itself staring down adversity. Bates controlled possession for long stretches, won 25 of 30 faceoffs, and fired 57 shots, but the Flying Dutchmen never folded.

Trailing entering the fourth quarter, Hope delivered another championship-level response by scoring five of the game’s final six goals to stun the Bobcats 14-12 and make history.

Hoexum buried the game-winner with under two minutes remaining before Weston Godbold added the clinching goal in the final seconds. Heethuis once again orchestrated the offense with five points, while Balmforth anchored a defense that continued to come up with timely stops despite relentless pressure from Bates.

The win marked the first NCAA Quarterfinal appearance by any MIAA lacrosse program and reportedly made Hope the first unranked team to reach the DeeThreeLax elite eight since the tournament began in 1980.

What makes Hope’s run even more impressive is the composure they continue to show in massive moments. Whether trailing, tied late, or getting overwhelmed statistically, the Flying Dutchmen continue to stick to their identity, trust each other, and find ways to win.

Now the Cinderella story rolls on. Hope heads to the NCAA Quarterfinals for a showdown with Bowdoin College with a trip to Championship Weekend suddenly within reach for one of the most remarkable stories DeeThreeLax has seen in years. 

CNU Survives Heavyweight Battle, Captains Return to Quarterfinals

Christopher Newport University looked every bit like a national contender during opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament, combining dominant defense with late-game heroics to advance back to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the sixth straight season.

The Captains opened the weekend by overwhelming Pfeiffer University 20-7 before surviving an instant classic against Washington and Lee University with a dramatic 13-12 comeback victory in the Third Round.

Against Pfeiffer, CNU completely dismantled one of the nation’s top offenses with a defensive performance that set the tone for the weekend. The Captains forced an incredible 27 turnovers while holding the Falcons in check from the opening whistle.

Colin DeGrassi led the defensive chaos with five caused turnovers, tying the most by a Captain in NCAA Tournament history, while the rest of the defense constantly pressured passing lanes and disrupted clears.

At the other end, the offense rolled. Kevin Miller continued his historic season with six points and surpassed 100 points for the second straight year, becoming the first player in program history to accomplish the feat twice. First-year standout Ryan Miller added another massive performance with four goals and five points, breaking the program’s freshman scoring record in the process. By halftime, the Captains had already built an 11-1 lead and never looked remotely threatened as they cruised into the Third Round.

Sunday, however, was a completely different story. Facing a battle-tested Washington & Lee squad, CNU found itself trailing 8-4 at halftime and searching for answers against one of the top teams left in the bracket. Instead of folding, the Captains delivered one of the best second-half performances of the tournament.

Led by a suffocating defensive effort and clutch shot-making, Christopher Newport slowly chipped away at the deficit before exploding late in the fourth quarter. Fred Fulkerson took over the game down the stretch, scoring CNU’s final three goals to swing momentum completely in the Captains’ favor. Meanwhile, Kevin Miller once again orchestrated everything offensively, finishing with eight points, tying the most ever by a Captain in an NCAA Tournament game.

The comeback was capped by one of the defining moments of the NCAA Tournament so far. With Washington & Lee pushing for the equalizer in the final seconds, senior goalie Mason Bellinger delivered back-to-back point-blank saves in breathtaking fashion to preserve the 13-12 victory. After making the initial stop from his knees, Bellinger somehow scrambled back to his feet and denied a second doorstep attempt before securing the rebound and draining the final seconds off the clock.

It was the kind of sequence that instantly becomes postseason lore.

CNU now heads back to the NCAA Quarterfinals carrying major momentum after surviving one of the toughest opening weekend paths in the tournament. Awaiting the Captains next is Wesleyan University in another massive showdown with a trip to the final four on the line.

Wesleyan Surges Back Into Quarterfinals Behind Complete Team Effort

Wesleyan University looked like one of the hottest teams in the country during opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament, dominating Ohio Northern University before taking down longtime rival Williams College to advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time since 2018.

The Cardinals opened tournament play with a statement 19-4 rout of Ohio Northern in one of the most lopsided performances of the Second Round. Wesleyan completely overwhelmed the Polar Bears from the opening whistle, scoring the game’s first 16 goals and turning the contest into a runaway before halftime. Everything clicked for the Cardinals, who dominated possession, faceoffs, ground balls, and shots while suffocating Ohio Northern defensively.

The Cardinals held a staggering 26-4 shot advantage in the first half and forced Ohio Northern into a miserable clearing performance throughout the afternoon. Wesleyan also controlled the faceoff battle, won the turnover margin by double digits, and tied a program NCAA Tournament record by allowing just four goals.

Offensively, the production came from everywhere. Gavin Lechner and Matt Morrow each finished with five points, while Ben Burns added a hat trick during the offensive explosion. The Cardinals saw contributions all over the field as they cruised into the Sweet 16 with one of the most complete performances of the weekend.

Sunday’s matchup against Williams brought a much different challenge. Facing a familiar Little Three rival with a trip to the quarterfinals on the line, Wesleyan found itself locked in a back-and-forth battle after controlling much of the early action. The Cardinals built a 6-1 lead in the second quarter, but Williams clawed its way back and eventually cut the deficit to just one midway through the third.

That’s when Wesleyan responded like a veteran postseason team. After a massive faceoff win from Jack Doherty, the Cardinals sparked a decisive 5-0 run that completely swung the game. Will Miller delivered key goals throughout the stretch, while the Wesleyan defense tightened up and refused to allow Williams another momentum swing.

In goal, Conor Selfridge came up with several massive stops during the fourth quarter, including multiple point-blank saves that helped preserve the lead during the Cardinals’ game-clinching surge.

Morrow led the offense with four goals, Miller added three more, and Burns continued his strong weekend with another multi-goal effort as Wesleyan closed out the 14-10 rivalry win.

Now sitting at 13-4, the Cardinals are back in the NCAA Quarterfinals and carrying plenty of momentum into a massive showdown with Christopher Newport University. With both teams playing some of their best lacrosse of the season, the matchup has all the makings of one of the premier games of quarterfinal weekend.

RIT Survives Salisbury Thriller, Tigers Return to Quarterfinals Yet Again

Rochester Institute of Technology once again proved why postseason lacrosse, and the NCAA Tournament seem to bring out the best in the Tigers.

RIT rolled past Elmhurst University in the Second Round before surviving an instant-classic overtime battle with Salisbury University to advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the ninth consecutive season.

The Tigers opened the weekend with a dominant 19-6 win over Elmhurst, using a huge second-half run to completely break the game open. After Elmhurst briefly tied the game at 3-3 early in the first quarter, RIT settled in and never looked back. The Tigers closed the first half on a 4-0 run before completely overwhelming the Bluejays in the third quarter, outscoring Elmhurst 6-0 to put the game away.

Ryan Sanders led the charge with five goals, while Erich Acton added four more in a balanced offensive performance. RIT dominated possession throughout the afternoon, winning faceoffs, controlling ground balls, and consistently pushing pace in transition.

The Tigers finished with 56 ground balls, won 18 faceoffs, and once again looked like one of the deepest teams left in the tournament heading into Sunday’s heavyweight showdown with Salisbury.

That matchup delivered everything fans hoped it would. In a battle between two perennial DeeThreeLax powers, RIT and Salisbury traded blows all afternoon in one of the best games of the NCAA Tournament so far. Neither team could create much separation as momentum constantly swung back and forth between the Tigers and the Seagulls.

Salisbury built a two-goal lead multiple times during the contest, but RIT continued to answer. Sanders delivered the performance of his career, erupting for seven goals including the overtime game-winner. Every time the Tigers needed a response, Sanders seemed to provide it, whether it was stopping a Salisbury run, tying the game, or giving RIT a late lead in the fourth quarter.

Still, the game came down to the final moments. After Salisbury tied the game at 11-11 with just over a minute remaining in regulation, the Tigers needed one final defensive stand to survive into overtime. Senior goalie Alex Zborowski came up huge throughout the afternoon, finishing with 13 saves while anchoring several critical possessions late in the game.

Then came the winner. In overtime, Ethan Harkins found Sanders cutting into space, and the sophomore buried a shot into the top corner to send the Tigers into the quarterfinals once again.

The overtime victory sends RIT to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the 19th time in program history and continues a run of postseason consistency that few programs in DeeThreeLax can match. Now the Tigers prepare for another massive challenge as they head to the quarterfinals looking to continue their pursuit of another national championship.

Babson Looks Every Bit Like a National Title Contender, Beavers Reach First-Ever Quarterfinal

Babson spent most of the season proving it belonged among the nation’s elite, and this weekend the Beavers backed it up on the national stage.

Babson opened NCAA Tournament play with a dominant 26-8 win over Massachusetts Maritime Academy before grinding through a heavyweight battle with St. Lawrence University to secure a 13-9 Third Round victory and the program’s first-ever trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals.

The Beavers wasted no time asserting themselves in Saturday’s Second Round matchup. After trading early goals with Mass Maritime, Babson erupted for nine straight scores to completely break the game open before the end of the first quarter. From there, the Beavers never slowed down, showcasing the offensive depth and pace that has made them one of the most dangerous teams in DeeThreeLax  all season long.

Braden Reilly led the offensive explosion with five goals and an assist, while Sam Sisk added six points of his own. Babson saw 16 different players record points and completely controlled every phase of the game, dominating faceoffs, ground balls, and possession throughout the afternoon.

At the faceoff stripe, the Beavers were nearly unstoppable. Will Reading and Beck Trafton combined to win 26 of 29 faceoffs as Babson repeatedly buried Mass Maritime with extra possessions and relentless offensive pressure.

Sunday’s showdown with St. Lawrence proved to be a much tougher test. The Saints came out swinging early, jumping ahead 3-0 and forcing Babson into a physical, defensive battle that looked nothing like Saturday’s offensive showcase. But the Beavers never panicked.

After trailing 8-7 entering the fourth quarter, Babson completely flipped the game with a dominant final period. The Beavers outscored St. Lawrence 6-1 over the final 15 minutes while controlling possession and wearing down the Saints with relentless pace.

Seamus Rooney sparked the surge with two huge fourth-quarter goals, while Reilly and Andrew Berardi added key finishes to help Babson finally create separation. Meanwhile, graduate faceoff specialist Beau Burns completely changed the game at the X. Burns won 19 of 23 faceoffs and consistently gave the Beavers extra possessions during the decisive fourth-quarter run.

Defensively, Babson tightened up late and allowed just one goal in the final frame, closing the door on a dangerous St. Lawrence team that had made a strong postseason push of its own.

Now sitting at 18-2, Babson advances to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time in program history and will get another crack at familiar postseason foe Rochester Institute of Technology. The Tigers knocked Babson out of the tournament in both 2023 and 2024, setting up one of the most anticipated quarterfinal matchups in the country.