Championship Weekend is officially set, and after an electric few days of NCAA Tournament lacrosse, it will once again be Tufts University versus Rochester Institute of Technology with the national championship on the line. The two DeeThreeLax heavyweights punched their tickets to Scott Stadium in Charlottesville after dominant quarterfinal and semifinal performances this weekend, setting up a rematch of the 2024 national championship game that Tufts won 18-14 in Philadelphia. Now, the Jumbos will chase history and a potential third straight NCAA title, while RIT heads back to Memorial Day Weekend looking to bring another championship trophy back to Rochester.

Tufts Powers Through York and Wesleyan

If there was any question about whether Tufts was playing its best lacrosse at the right time, the Jumbos answered it emphatically this weekend. Tufts combined for 45 goals across two NCAA Tournament wins, overwhelming both York College of Pennsylvania and Wesleyan University behind explosive offensive runs and complete team performances.

Quarterfinals: Tufts 22, York 9

The Jumbos wasted absolutely no time in Saturday’s quarterfinal matchup against York, scoring the game’s first nine goals and racing out to a 10-3 first-quarter lead in a 22-9 rout on Bello Field. Tufts looked unstoppable from the opening whistle. Chase Beyer scored just 12 seconds into the game, Garrett Kelly added another less than a minute later, and Brooks Hauser, Jack Regnery, and Peter Kraemer helped fuel a furious opening stretch that saw the Jumbos lead 7-0 barely seven minutes into the contest. Hauser was dominant, finishing with five goals and three assists while scoring on every shot he put on cage. Beyer added seven points on four goals and three assists, while Kelly chipped in a hat trick as Tufts continued to showcase one of the deepest and most dangerous offenses in DeeThreeLax.

The Jumbos also controlled key areas outside of the offensive end. Lucas De la Paz, Victor Salcedo, and Erik Helgesen combined to win faceoffs consistently throughout the afternoon, while Tufts forced seven failed York clears and converted both of its EMO opportunities. By the time Elliot Rutherford scored his first collegiate goal late in the game, Tufts had officially locked up its sixth straight Final Four appearance.

Final Four: Tufts 23, Wesleyan 7

And somehow, less than 24 hours later, the Jumbos looked even better. For the second straight game, Tufts exploded offensively early, scoring 11 first-quarter goals in a dominant 23-7 semifinal win over Wesleyan to punch its ticket back to the national championship game.

Jack Regnery led the way with a historic performance, scoring seven goals and adding two assists while converting on every shot he placed on goal. Brooks Hauser continued his monster postseason run with five goals and two assists, while Joey Beyer added six points in another balanced offensive effort.

Tufts took a staggering 19-5 lead into halftime and never looked remotely threatened the rest of the night. The Jumbos dominated possession once again, winning 26-of-34 faceoffs behind Lucas De la Paz and Victor Salcedo, while also holding a 56-30 edge in shots.

Now sitting at 21-1 and riding a 14-game NCAA Tournament winning streak, Tufts heads to Charlottesville with a chance to become the first DeeThreeLax program since Salisbury (2003-05) to win three consecutive national championships.

RIT Surges Back to Championship Weekend

While Tufts overwhelmed opponents with offensive firepower, RIT showed exactly why the Tigers remain one of the most battle-tested teams in DeeThreeLax. The Tigers knocked off two elite opponents this weekend, taking down Babson in the quarterfinals before eliminating Bowdoin in the national semifinals.

Quarterfinals: RIT 21, Babson 14

Friday’s quarterfinal matchup between RIT and Babson felt like a heavyweight fight early on, with the two teams trading runs throughout the first half. But once the third quarter started, the Tigers completely took over. After leading just 12-10 at halftime, RIT exploded for seven unanswered goals in the third quarter to break the game wide open en route to a 21-14 win.

Junior attackman Erich Acton was sensational, finishing with a career-high seven goals and 10 points in one of the biggest performances of the NCAA Tournament so far. Ryan Sanders orchestrated the offense brilliantly, handing out seven assists while finishing with 11 total points. RIT’s defense also stepped up in a massive way during the decisive third quarter, holding Babson scoreless while forcing five turnovers and limiting the Beavers to just three shots on goal. At the faceoff stripe, Ethan Spillane won 16-of-29 draws and scooped up seven ground balls, helping RIT maintain possession and dictate pace throughout the second half.

By the final whistle, the Tigers had secured their sixth straight Final Four appearance and another opportunity to compete for a national title.

Final Four: RIT 16, Bowdoin 12

The Tigers followed that performance up with another statement win on Saturday night, taking down second-ranked Bowdoin 16-12 in Brunswick.

David Charney led the offensive charge with a career-high five goals, while Ryan Sanders added four more scores and Tyson Allison chipped in two goals and an assist. After Bowdoin briefly grabbed a 2-1 lead early, RIT quickly settled in and controlled much of the game from there. The Tigers built a 10-4 halftime lead and later stretched the advantage to 15-6 late in the third quarter after another massive scoring run. Bowdoin mounted a late comeback attempt behind Sam Raye-Steiner and Casey Ryan, trimming the deficit to 15-10 in the fourth quarter, but Sanders delivered a huge man-up goal midway through the final period to halt the momentum and secure the win. RIT’s defense once again played a major role. Joe Holenstein caused three turnovers, while Alexander Chairs and Cole Teeple each forced two more in a physical defensive effort against one of the nation’s top offenses.

Now, the Tigers are back in the NCAA championship game for the sixth time in program history and looking to capture their third title in five seasons.