Championship Sunday brought out some of the biggest performances of the year as Tufts University knocked off Rochester Institute of Technology 17-11 to capture another NCAA DeeThreeLax National Championship. In a game loaded with All-Americans, elite scorers, and momentum swings, several players elevated their game on the biggest stage of the season.

Tufts with another dominate performance 

Brooks Hauser 

If there was a player who completely controlled the flow offensively, it was Brooks Hauser. The Tufts standout stuffed the stat sheet with 3 goals, 2 assists, 4 ground balls, and was nearly automatic with every opportunity he got, scoring on all three of his shots. Every time RIT looked ready to swing momentum back their way, Hauser answered. Whether it was dodging downhill, feeding cutters inside, or simply making the right play, he looked calm and composed throughout the afternoon.

Jack Regnery

Jack Regnery delivered one of the most complete offensive performances of the weekend. The Tufts attackman finished with 3 goals and 2 assists for 5 points while firing 10 shots and putting 8 on cage. Regnery consistently pressured the Tigers defense and forced slides throughout the game. His ability to create offense both on and off-ball opened up the field for the rest of the Tufts attack unit.

Will Emsing 

Will Emsing continued his incredible postseason run with another huge outing, finishing with 2 goals and 3 assists. The graduate midfielder seemed involved in nearly every major offensive possession for the Jumbos. His vision and patience stood out all game long, especially during Tufts’ second-half push that helped separate the game.

Garrett Kelly 

Garrett Kelly made the most of his opportunities, scoring 3 goals on just 4 shots. Championship games often come down to efficiency, and Kelly delivered exactly that. Whenever Tufts needed a momentum-changing finish, Kelly seemed to be in the right place.

Jack Old 

While the Tufts offense will get plenty of headlines, goalie Jack Old quietly turned in one of the most important performances of the afternoon. The sophomore netminder stopped 17 shots and repeatedly denied RIT during critical stretches. RIT generated 28 shots on goal, but Old’s ability to make point-blank saves helped Tufts maintain control throughout much of the second half.

RIT’s Stars Still Delivered

Despite the loss, the Tigers had several players leave everything on the field.

Ryan Sanders 

Ryan Sanders paced the RIT offense with 3 goals and 1 assist for 4 points while putting 7 shots on cage. Sanders consistently attacked aggressively and was one of the few Tigers able to generate offense consistently against the Tufts defense.

Erich Acton 

One final championship performance from Erich Acton added another chapter to one of the greatest careers DeeThreeLax has seen. Acton finished with 3 goals on 7 shots while battling constant defensive attention. Even when Tufts slid early and often, Acton still found ways to produce.

David Charney 

David Charney was clinical offensively, scoring 3 goals on just 6 shots. The sophomore attackman consistently found soft spots inside and kept the Tigers within striking distance for much of the game.

Faceoffs 

Tufts slightly edged the faceoff battle behind Victor Salcedo and Lucas De la Paz, combining to win 14-of-29 draws. Meanwhile, Philip Minardo battled hard for RIT, winning 13-of-19 faceoffs and giving the Tigers several key possessions. Ground balls also leaned slightly toward Tufts, who finished with a 47-44 edge while forcing 23 RIT turnovers.

Sunday’s matchup featured no shortage of stars stepping into the spotlight. From Hauser and Regnery powering the Tufts offense to Sanders and Acton battling until the final whistle for RIT, the NCAA title game once again delivered the type of performances that define DeeThreeLax history.