By NoontimeSports.com 

There were a variety of contests this afternoon and below are the scores and outcomes.

Men’s Lacrosse: 

Endicott 26, Nichols 8: Mitchell Tapley paced the Gulls with four tallies, while Kyle Webber netted a hat trick. Anthony Verville led the Bison with four goals.

Tufts 21, Conn. College 13: Chris Schoenhut led the Jumbos with seven tallies, while Cole Bailey recorded 11 points (three goals, eight assists) as Tufts defeated the Camels and improved to 7-1.

Springfield 13, Wheaton 5: Bryce Serriello paced the Pride with four goals, while Dom Roberto, Ryon Lynch and Dylan Sheehan each recorded two tallies as Springfield defeated the Lyons in its NEWMAC opener. Barrett Jenness led Wheaton with a hat trick.

Middlebury 8, Amherst 7: Jack Rautiola’s final goal, his third of the contest, provided the Panthers with the lead for good as Middlebury defeated the Lord Jeffs in Vermont. Amherst’s Kane Haffey and Devin Acton combined for five points.

Mitchell 11, Regis 10: The Pride’s five-game winning streak concluded in Connecticut as Regis’ comeback fell short following back-to-back man-up goals from Peter Leighton and Chris Campbell. Leighton led the Pride with four goals, while Billy Stewart netted a hat trick.

Rivier 6, Becker 5: Tom Johnson‘s lone goal with 3:50 remaining the fourth quarter proved to be the difference as the Raiders defeated the Hawks in Leicester. Myles White and John DeAngelis each netted two goals for Becker.

Women’s Lacrosse: 

Maryland 10, Boston College 9: Erin Collins‘ second goal of the contest provided the Terps with the lead for good as Maryland edged the Eagles at College Park. Sarah Mannelly paced the Eagles with four points (three goals, one assist), while Covie Stanwick and Mikaela Rix each netted two goals.

Adelphi 10, Stonehill 4: The Panthers raced out to 6-1 lead and never looked back as they defeated the Skyhawks and earned its ninth consecutive win. Stonehill, which is 4-4 overall and 3-2 in NE-10 play, received goals from Rebecca Matheson, Kelsey Shannahan and Mikayla Couch.

Amherst 11, Middlebury 10: Elizabeth Ludlow‘s goal with 3:35 remaining in the second half lifted the Jeffs past the Panthers in Amherst. Mia Haughton, Devin O’Connor, Krista Zsitvay and Meghan Mills each netted two goals in the win.

Endicott 17, Nichols 3: Callie Murphy recorded three goals and three assists, while Ryan Socolow picked up her seventh win between the pipes as the Gulls defeated the Bison in Dudley. Nichols’ Alexa Smith record two goals.

Springfield 17, MIT 4: Connie Nielsen netted a team-high four, while Michelle Dorsey, Emily Rodgers, Emily Fowler and Kelly Gallo each recorded hat tricks as the Pride defeated the Engineers in Springfield. Isabella DiDio paced MIT with two tallies.

Tufts 11, Conn. College 9: Gabby Horner and Caroline Ross combined for seven goals, while Rachel Gallimore turned away five shots as the Jumbos defeated the Camels in Connecticut.

By Matt Noonan 

It was a busy Saturday in the lacrosse world and below are various outcomes and results.

Men’s Lacrosse: 

Towson 6, UMass 5: Joe Seider‘s third quarter tally pushed the Tigers ahead for good. UMass trimmed the deficit with a Jeff George goal roughly five minutes after Seider’s marker, but that was the closest the Minutemen would get.

Army 8, BU 7: Trailing 8-4 in the fourth quarter, the Terriers rallied, but only scored three goals, which wasn’t enough to defeat the Black Knights. Adam Schaal paced the Terriers with two goals and one helper, while Christian Carson turned away six shots.

Merrimack 15, So. N.H. 6: Tim Towler paced the Warriors with four strikes, while Mike Perdie, Corey Davidson and Max Allen each netted two goals as the Warriors cruised to their sixth win of the season.

Tufts 18, Hamilton 3: John Uppgren netted seven goals and dished out one assist, while Cole Bailey recorded five points (two goals, three assists) as the Jumbos cruised to their eighth win of the season.

Amherst 14, Colby 7: Leading at the break, the Lord Jeffs extended their lead by outscoring the Mules, 9-4, in the second half, which helped them earn their eighth win of the season. Amherst’s Quinn Moroney finished with nine points on four goals and five helpers, while Devin Acton netted four goals.

Wesleyan 8, Williams 7: Quentin Dellafera‘s unassisted strike with 42 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter propelled the Cardinals to a one-point win over the Ephs. Thomas Fowler paced Williams with two goals, while Dan Whittam turned away eight shots.

Springfield 10, MIT 8: Trailing 8-7 with 7:24 remaining in the fourth quarter, Springfield rallied with two goals from Dylan Sheehan and one from Ryon Lynch to secure their second conference win of the season. Lynch and Sheehan each recorded two goals and two helpers, while MIT received two goals and two assists from Harris Stolzenberg.

Regis 14, Johnson & Wales 9: Nicky Rodrigo and Peter Leighton combined for eight goals and five assists as the Pride picked up their eighth win of the season.

Endicott 26, Gordon 6: Kyle Weber recorded nine points on six goals and three assists, while Harrison Cotter and Colin Bannon combined for eight goals and four assists as the Gulls soared past the Fighting Scots in Beverley. Jordan Heckelmann and Roger Evans each scored two goals for Gordon.

Women’s Lacrosse:

BC 13, Duke 11:  Sarah Mannelly and Covie Stanwick each netted five goals as the Eagles edged the Blue Devils in North Carolina.

Stonehill 7, Le Moyne 6: Kelsey Shannahan‘s free position strike at 18:08 in the second half pushed the Skyhawks ahead for good. The Dolphins did net two additional tallies after the strike, but were unable to tie the contest. Stonehill’s Lizzie Lane and Mikayla Couch each recorded two goals in the win.

Tufts 9, Hamilton 8: Caroline Ross recorded four points on three goals and one helper, Brigid Bowser recorded two goals and two assists as the Jumbos defeated the Continentals in Medford.

Endicott 10, Gordon 4: The Gulls extended their current winning streak to eight games as they defeated the Fighting Scots in Beverley. Emily Whitney and Kirsten Thor combined for six goals and one assist, while Ryan Socolow turned away eight shots.

Amherst 12, Colby 5: Rachel Passarelli netted a hat trick, while Christy Forrest recorded nine saves as the Jeffs defeated the Mules and extended their current winning streak to nine games.

Williams 13, Wesleyan 5: Nancy Palmer recorded five points on four goals and one assist as the Ephs defeated the Cardinals in Connecticut.

By NoontimeSports.com 

MIT’s sports information department passed along a feature release on freshman Harris Stolzenberg, a starting attacker for the men’s lacrosse team, who has been spending a majority of his first year in Cambridge helping victims from last year’s Boston Marathon bombings. Below is his story:

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Across the country, NCAA Division III institutions will be participating in NCAA Division III Week beginning on Monday, April 7. The event celebrates the impact of athletics and of student-athletes on the campus and surrounding community. MIT freshman Harris Stolzenberg, a starting attacker on the men’s lacrosse team, embodies the community service element of this initiative.

“It doesn’t matter who you are or how old you are, if you want to try to make a difference, you can.” This is what Harris has learned in his pursuit of raising $1 million to support those wounded in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Inspired by his younger brother, Michael, a quadrilateral amputee, he established Mikey’s Run and will be racing in the upcoming Boston Marathon.

A native of Weston, Florida, Harris learned about the attacks after coming home from his high school lacrosse practice. As events unfolded throughout the week, Michael suggested doing a fundraiser for the new amputees “to do something nice because I know what they’re going through.” At the age of eight, Michael contracted a bacterial infection that left him in a coma and eventually caused oxygen deprivation to all four limbs.

At the time, Harris considered holding a bake sale at school but Michael came up with the idea of launching a website. Harris, who had been admitted to MIT a month earlier, posted on the MIT Class of 2017 Facebook page looking for a website designer. Corey Walsh replied, thus creating the web presence for Mikey’s Run. Fellow classmate Karan Kashyap also joined in, serving an instrumental role during the early stages of the initiative as he led national outreach and content management.

In order to legally raise money, Harris teamed up with the Scott Rigsby Foundation that established a fund for the Boston victims. Rigsby, who lost both of his legs in a car accident over 20 years ago, is the first double-amputee to compete in the Hawaiian Ironman triathlon, was an entrant in the 2013 Boston Marathon and is a qualifier for the 2014 event. Due to similarities in its missions, the foundation suggested Harris join Team MR8, which benefits the Martin W. Richard Charitable Foundation. Martin, who was eight at the time of the attacks, was one of the three spectators killed by the bombs.

“This day is not about me. It’s about what happened and I’m just gonna go.”

Harris believes he would have attempted to raise money for the marathon victims regardless of attending a Boston-area college. He acknowledges the story wouldn’t have received the same amount of attention from the media, but he believes people would have still rallied behind it.

When Harris told his family he wanted to run the marathon, they responded, “You’re out of your mind. You can’t run a mile.” Admittedly, he didn’t know what he was doing either but everyone has been fully supportive. Harris began training last September, knowing that if he was going to succeed he needed to start early. After reaching 10 miles following two months of preparation, he was hospitalized for two weeks. Initially discouraged by the setback, Harris battled back and is starting to feel confident with his progress. Throughout the process, Michael has provided the typical younger brother contributions of smug but also positive encouragement.

Going into marathon weekend, Harris has the double duty of preparing for a lacrosse game against conference foe Wheaton College two days before the race. Physically, he plans on trying to get as much as rest as possible. Harris is mindful of the media attention Mikey’s Run received last spring, acknowledging, “I don’t want to take away anything from anyone else. This day is not about me; it’s about what happened, and I’m just gonna go. You put the training in and just enjoy the 26.2 miles, as hard as that’s going to be. It will be fun. At the end of the day it will be worth it and hopefully we raise a lot of money.”

Looking beyond Mikey’s Run, the Stolzenberg family established the Pockets and Sockets Lacrosse Tournament in 2011 to raise funds for Michael’s rehabilitative trust. Money aside, the most rewarding experience for Harris has been watching Michael share his story with some of the survivors and see their reactions when they attended the Amputee Coalition National Convention last June.

“I go to MIT, but I’m not the biggest engineer.”

Like the marathon, Harris is taking his career at MIT one step at time. On the lacrosse field, he leads the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference in scoring and among all freshmen in the conference, Harris leads the way in assists and is second in goals. Also a member of the varsity football team, he joined Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity in the fall. On the academic side, Harris plans on majoring in management with a concentration in finance and is contemplating minoring in mathematics, political science, or economics. Down the road he is considering pursuing a career in business or possibly politics.

Reflecting on the past year, Harris maintains his humble attitude. “We just wanted to make a difference. We were lucky that Mikey’s Run received the attention it did to where we raised enough money to make an impact. It doesn’t matter who you are or how old you are, if you want to try to make a difference, you can.”

You can follow Harris on race day by going to www.baa.org and entering his bib number, 31792.

Donations to Mikey’s Run can be made at www.mikeysrun.com. As of April 7, a total of $226,375.20.

By NoontimeSports.com 

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – MIT men’s lacrosse head coach Walter Alessi knows a few things about the sport of lacrosse.

Alessi, who is currently in his 40^th season with the Engineers, has MIT tied for second place in the NEWMAC with Massachusetts Maritime Academy and 4-6 overall.

MIT, which is coming off a heartbreaking setback to Springfield College last Saturday, will look to return to the win column this afternoon when they host Salem State in a non-conference clash at 4 p.m.

Noontime Sports’ Matt Noonan caught up with the tenured head coach to chat about the Engineers’ current campaign, as well as the evolution of lacrosse.

Joe Cunning and Lasell will host Emmanuel College in an important GNAC clash tomorrow at 12 p.m. (Photo Credit: Matt Noonan for NoontimeSports.com)

By Matt Noonan 

Saturday’s are always busy days in the lacrosse world, especially in Division 3. Tomorrow, though, should be a fun afternoon with a slew of conference tilts that’ll certainly feel like playoff contests.

Below are a few games to follow via Twitter or through live stats and video.

Emmanuel @ Lasell, 12 p.m.: Let’s start in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) where Emmanuel College will travel to Newton to face-off against Lasell College. This is a de-facto conference regular season champion match with the winner securing the top spot for next week’s tournament. Both teams have won nine conference games, but neither unit has dropped a GNAC tilt.

Emmanuel (11-3, 9-0 GNAC) is riding an 11-game winning streak, thanks to their goaltender Austin Lauzier, who is fifth in the country in goals against average (5.88). Earlier this week, he was named the GNAC Goalie of the Week for his performance in back-to-back games against Becker College and Norwich University. Chris Baglivi was tabbed Rookie of the Week for his performance on defense. The Saints outscored the Cadets and Hawks, 19-7. Earlier this week, Emmanuel picked up its ninth conference win when they defeated St. Joe’s (Maine), 8-3. Michael Rogers recorded a hat trick in the win.

Lasell (10-4, 9-0 GNAC) hasn’t lost a game in April. The Lasers earned a 13-9 win against Anna Maria last Saturday on ‘Senior Day’ before defeating Daniel Webster on Wednesday, 20-7. Andrew Suh ranks fourth in the conference in assists (25), while goaltender David Walen is second in save percentage (64.5).

The Lasers have won their last two regular season meetings with the Saints, including a double-overtime victory in 2013.

MIT @ Wheaton, 1 p.m.:  The last time the Engineers defeated the Lyons was the same year the Boston Red Sox won the World Series. Since April 25, 2007, Wheaton has defeated MIT each season.

MIT travels to Norton, Mass. for a big NEWMAC clash with Wheaton. (Photo Credit: Matt Noonan for NoontimeSports.com)

Saturday’s clash, though, could determine potential seeding for the upcoming New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) tournament, which doesn’t begin until the end of April. MIT is currently in third place, two spots below Babson College and Springfield College, while Wheaton is sixth. Wheaton is coming off an exciting double-overtime victory against Massachusetts Maritime Academy on Wednesday evening. Brian Teague sealed the win for the Lyons with a strike at 3:17 in the second overtime period and Will Morrison scored a career-best four goals.

MIT’s Harris Stolzenberg leads the conference in goals (31), while Michael Traub is fourth with 26 strikes. Eric Bartell is first in the NEWMAC in saves with 145. His best outing occurred earlier this season when he deflected 16 shots in an 8-7 win over Emmanuel College.

This should be a back-and-fourth affair, so don’t expect either squad to run away following the initial face-off. Wheaton needs a win to keep its postseason hopes alive.

Wesleyan @ Tufts, 1 p.m.: Since falling to Williams College on April 1, the Jumbos have been on fire. Tufts rebounded with an 18-3 win against Hamilton College before defeating Endicott College, 18-13, in a back-and-fourth affair. The Jumbos extended its current winning streak to four-games by defeating Amherst College last Saturday, 25-12, and Bates College this week, 22-14.

Tufts’ final two contests, though, won’t be easy tasks. They’ll welcome the Cardinals of Wesleyan University to Medford tomorrow. Both teams enter the contest 7-1 in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play, and a win would provide the winner with the top seed heading into the conference tournament.

According to NCAA.com, the Jumbos lead all Division 3 offenses with 18.58 goals per game. Chris Schoenhut is fifth in the country in goals per game (3.67) and leads the Powder Blue and White with 51 tallies. John Uppgren leads the unit in points (77) with 40 goals and 37 assists, while Cole Bailey is second on the team in points (69). Beau Wood is currently third on the squad in points (62) with 43 tallies and 19 assists.

Wesleyan enters tomorrow’s contest on a three-game winning streak. They’re 4-1 on the road and recently defeated Bowdoin College, Trinity College and Williams.

By NoontimeSports.com 

Courtesy of the Wheaton College sports information department, here’s this afternoon’s release from the men’s lacrosse contest against MIT:

NORTON, Mass. – The Wheaton College men’s lacrosse team fell to MIT, 9-6, on Saturday afternoon in New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference play at Nordin Field.

Prior to this afternoon’s contest, Wheaton seniors Cam Hanlon (Hanson, Mass./B.C. High), Jesse O’Neil (Charlestown, Mass./Boston Latin), Colby Shields (Yarmouth, Maine/Yarmouth), Harrison Bramhall (Barrington, R.I./Trinity Pawling), Patrick Crane (Vernon, Conn./Rockville) and William Scott (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow) were honored for their contributions towards the men’s lacrosse program.

Wheaton freshman Will Morison (Osterville, Mass./Salisbury School) paced the Blue and White with two tallies. Classmates Eric Jansen (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) and Barrett Jenness (Edmonds, Wash./The Overlake School) and junior Matthew Hillman (Brookline, Mass./Brookline) and sophomore Brian Teague (Cross River, N.Y./Salisbury School) all finished with one tally apiece. Bramhall also stopped 12 shots in net for the Lyons.

MIT freshman Harris Stolzenberg (Weston, Fla./Pine Crest) recorded a game-high five points on four goals and one assist, while classmate Michael Traub (Aliso Viejo, Calif./Aliso Niguel) chipped in with one marker and three assists. Sophomore goalkeeper Eric Bartell (San Diego, Calif./Canyon Crest Academy) finished with 11 saves to pick up his eighth win between the pipes.

The Engineers collected a game-high 39 ground balls and converted 17 of 20 clear attempts, while the Lyons scooped up 33 ground balls and finished 14 for 19 on clears. MIT outshot Wheaton, 34-28, and scored two man-up goals. Wheaton won 11 of 19 face-offs, highlighted by freshman Kyle Neale (Brooklyn, N.Y./Saint James School) who won five.

Morrison provided the hosts with an early lead with 11:22 remaining in the opening session before MIT used a 5-0 run, sparked by a Traub tally, which provided the Engineers with a 5-2 lead at the break.

Wheaton evened the score early in the second half as Hillman, Teague and Morrison each scored one goal to tie the game at 5-5. The Lyons game-tying goal came in transition as freshman Kyle Neale (Brooklyn, N.Y./Saint James School) caused a turnover in the defensive third, scooped up the ground ball and fired a pass down field to classmate Casey Buchholz (North Granby, Conn./Granby Memorial) who sprinted through the Engineers’ defense and eventually fed a wide open Morrison for the strike.

MIT responded with a man-up goal from Stolzenberg, who raced toward the Wheaton cage from the far side and whipped a shot past Bramhall to push the guests ahead by one heading into the final frame. The Engineers extended their lead for good by netting three consecutive strikes to seal the win.

Both teams return to action on Wednesday, April 23 as Wheaton (4-9, 1-4 NEWMAC) hosts Emerson College, while MIT (8-6, 3-1 NEWMAC) travels to Babson College. Both contests will commence at 7 p.m.

For the latest on Wheaton College Athletics, follow the Lyons via social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

By NoontimeSports.com 

The Babson College men’s lacrosse team earned its eighth straight win — a program-record — as the Beavers defeated MIT this evening, 14-6. Below is the release, courtesy of the Babson Athletics Communication Department:

BABSON PARK, Mass.—Sophomore Spencer Low (Natick, Mass.) scored a game-high three goals and junior Alex Bunick (Millis, Mass.) added two goals and two assists, lifting Babson College to 14-6 victory over visiting MIT in New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) men’s lacrosse action on Wednesday night at MacDowell Field.

With its eighth straight win, which marks the longest winning streak in program history, Babson is now 10-5 overall and 5-0 in conference play, while MIT, which had won four straight games, drops to 8-7 overall and 3-2 in the NEWMAC.

Senior Bobby MacCune (Braintree, Mass.) and sophomore John Harrison (Pembroke, Mass.) each had two goals for the Beavers, while sophomore Scott Doten (Western Springs, Ill.) scored once and chipped in with two assists. First-year Zach Cattaruzza (Guilford, Conn.) led all players with nine groundballs and five caused turnovers, both career highs, and junior Christian Cattaruzza (Guilford, Conn.) contributed six groundballs and four caused turnovers to go along with his second goal of the season.

Sophomore Paul Orrson (Baltimore, Md.) had two goals and first-year Harris Stolzenberg (Weston, Fla.) added a goal and an assist for the Engineers.

The Green and White got off to a fast start with three goals in the opening 4:51 of the first quarter. Doten and senior Alex Packer (Hudson, Ohio) scored 48 seconds apart to grab a 2-0 lead at the 12:13 mark and Cattaruzza worked a give-and-go with Packer for a transition score to make it 3-0 with 10:09 left in the period.

The Beavers killed off a pair of penalties early in the second quarter and senior goalkeeper Adam Daroff (Pepper Pike, Ohio) and his counterpart, sophomore Eric Bartell (San Diego, Calif.) of MIT, took turns denying multiple scoring chances. The Engineers finally got the on board with 7:45 left in the stanza as first-year Zak Psaras (Monroe, Conn.) scored in transition to cut the deficit to 3-1. Stolzenberg made it a one-goal game just 55 seconds later, intercepting Daroff’s clearing pass and scoring on a breakaway, but Low converted the first of his three goals with 2:23 remaining to help Babson regain a 4-2 lead at the break.

Tallies by Harrison and Bunick gave the Green and White a four-goal edge 3:26 into the third before the teams traded the next four goals, capped by sophomore Alex Youngwall’s (Huntington, N.Y.) 10^th marker of the year to put the hosts in front 8-4 with 4:23 left in the period. Harrison struck for his second score of the night with 47 seconds to go in the third, and Bunck and Low added back-to-back goals just 12 seconds apart to start the fourth as Babson pushed its lead to 11-4 with 14:12 to go in the game.

Low used a feed from Bunick to complete his hat trick and cap a five-goal run, giving the Beavers their biggest lead of the game at 12-4 with 10:02 remaining. Both teams added a pair of goals over the last 7:32 for the final margin.

Daroff  made five of his eight saves in the first half for Babson, while Bartell made six of his eight stops over the first 30 minutes.

The Green and White held a 42-24 advantage in shots and had a 54-37 edge in groundballs. Each team won 12 face-offs and the Beavers forced 31 turnovers on the night.

Both teams will conclude the regular season on Saturday as Babson welcomes Springfield to MacDowell Field for a 1 p.m. start, while MIT hosts Mass. Maritime Academy at 11 a.m.

GAME NOTES: Babson is now 25-12 all-time against MIT and has won five consecutive meetings going back to 2010…Wednesday’s victory was the 50^th for head coach Brendan Gorman, who has now won 10 games in each of his first five seasons at the helm…the win means that the Beavers will either finish first or second in the NEWMAC and will host a conference tournament semifinal contest next Wednesday against either Clark or MIT…Babson has allowed six goals or less in each of the last seven games…a win over Springfield on Saturday would give the Beavers their most wins since 2003 and their first conference title since 1990.

By Matt Noonan 

Here are the results from today’s Division 3 conference tournament games.

Men’s Lacrosse: 

* Lasell 12, Rivier 1

* Becker 9, St. Joe’s (Maine) 5

* Norwich 11, Mount Ida 7

* Emmanuel 13, JWU 3

Women’s Lacrosse: 

* MIT 18, Mount Holyoke 17

By Matt Noonan 

There were a slew of conference tournament contests that took place this afternoon, along with some regular season finales, and below is their outcomes and summaries.

Men’s Lacrosse: 

Salve Regina 10, Wentworth 8: Nick LoCicero and Curtis McKeon netted back-to-back tallies in the fourth quarter, which pushed the Seahawks ahead for good. Steve Glover, who recorded four markers for Wentworth, brought the Leopards within one goal with 2:37 remaining, but Salve Regina responded with Chad Hollenshade to seal the win. Salve Regina will continue Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play on Wednesday when they travel to Endicott College for a semifinal matchup. 

Roger Williams 22, Gordon 11: Will Siefert netted six goals, Tim Kelly recorded seven points on four tallies and three helpers as the Hawks defeated the Fighting Scots in the first round of the CCC tournament. Roger Williams advances to the semifinals on Wednesday where they’ll take on Western New England in Springfield. Gordon’s Ryan Utz matched McKeon with seven points on six goals and one assist. 

MIT 8, Mass. Maritime 6: Paul Orrson recorded five points on three tallies and two helpers, Harris Stolzenberg registered two goals and two assists as the Engineers concluded its regular season with a victory over the Buccaneers. MIT will travel to Babson College on Wednesday to face-off against the Beavers in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) semifinals. Reed McLean paced Massachusetts Maritime Academy with two markers.

Springfield 14, Babson 3: Ryon Lynch and Dylan Sheehan combined for five goals and seven assists as the Pride defeated the Beavers and claimed the top spot in the NEWMAC. Springfield will host Clark University on Wednesday in the NEWMAC semifinals. John Harrison, Alex Bunick and Spencer Low each scored one goal for Babson.

Tufts 24, Colby 9: Chris Schoenhut and Cole Bailey combined for 12 goals and four assists as the Jumbos cruised to the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) semifinals, which will take place in Medford next weekend.

Williams 13, Middlebury 9: Jack Lauroesch recorded five points on three goals and two assists as the Ephs defeated the Panthers and advanced to next weekend’s NESCAC semifinals.

Amherst 13, Bowdoin 6: Quinn Moroney recorded 10 points on seven helpers and three strikes, while Kane Haffey scored a game-high six goals as the Lord Jeffs defeated the Polar Bears and advanced to next weekend’s NESCAC semifinals. 

Women’s Lacrosse:

Emmanuel 17, St. Joe’s (Maine) 7: The Saints claimed the GNAC crown thanks to a 7-0 run in the second half that helped the hosts push ahead for good. Kristen Tuleja paced the Saints with nine points on six tallies and three helpers, while Sarah Higgins finished with three goals and one assist. Emmanuel’s Lauren White concluded the championship tilt with 11 saves. Emmanuel, which earned its first-ever conference crown, earned an automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA Division 3 Tournament, but won’t know their opponent until next weekend .

Wheaton 15, MIT 5: Jenna Tewksbury recorded four points on three goals and one assist as the Lyons defeated the Engineers for the first time in the NEWMAC Tournament since 2001. Hannah Levy paced the Engineers with a hat trick. The Lyons will contend for the conference crown tomorrow when they host Babson College at 1 p.m.

Babson 9, Springfield 7: Leading by one goal late in the second half, Babson’s Rachel Secrist secured her team’s NEWMAC semifinals victory with her fourth tally of the contest at 3:08. The Beavers, which led the Pride at halftime 5-2, will compete in its eighth straight conference championship tomorrow against Wheaton. Secrist led Babson with six points on four markers and two helpers, while Springfield’s Connie Nielsen match her opponent with six points on three strikes and three assists.

Amherst 11, Bowdoin 5: Meghan Mils netted a hat trick, Caroline Holliday, Priscilla Tyler and Krista Zsitvay each scored two goals as the Jeffs defeated the Polar Bears and advanced to the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) semifinals next weekend. Amherst will meet archival Williams in the second game, which is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. The site for this year’s NESCAC semifinals is Trinity College.

Williams 11, Tufts 6: Bridget Malicki registered five points on three helpers and two tallies, while Rebecca McGovern netted a hat trick as the Ephs defeated the Jumbos in the NESCAC Quarterfinals. With the win, the Ephs advance to next Saturday’s conference semifinals. Tufts’ Lindsey Walker finished the contest with four points on three goals and one helper.

Gordon 12, Curry 7: Jane Dietrich recorded four points on three goals and one helper, Jessica Castelline netted a hat trick and the Fighting Scots defeated the Colonels in the CCC Quarterfinals. Haley Carey paced Curry with five points on four goals and one assist. Gordon will travel to Endicott College on Wednesday for the CCC semifinals. 

Babson College’s Brendan Coan netted one goal against MIT on Wednesday evening in the NEWMAC semifinals. (Photo Credit: Matt Noonan for NoontimeSports.com)

By Matt Noonan 

BABSON PARK, Mass. – The Babson College men’s lacrosse team punched its ticket to the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship with a 10-6 victory over MIT on Wednesday evening in the rain.

“They’re a strong team,” said Babson’s Alex Packer, who finished the contest with three points on two helpers and one strike. “It was definitely a good win for us, we worked hard (this evening).”

Babson’s Matthew Logan and Alex Bunick netted two tallies, respectively, while Adam Daroff and Giles Ober combined for five stops.

Harris Stolzenberg, who leads the conference and MIT in goals (39), recorded three points on two assists and one strike, while Graham Francis netted two tallies, both coming in the second half. Eric Bartell, who leads the NEWMAC in saves (181), concluded the evening with 11 stops.

The Beavers earned a 2-0 lead thanks to back-to-back first quarter tallies from Spencer Low and Brendan Coan before MIT sliced the deficit with a marker from Luke Verdi. Babson responded at 4:25 in the second quarter with a Scott Doten strike, which provided the hosts with a 3-1 lead at the break.

MIT evened the score at 3-3 with early third quarter strikes from Graham Francis and Stolzenberg, but Babson answered with back-to-back goals by Logan and Packer that pushed the Beavers ahead 5-3.

Henry Merrow brought the Engineers within one with 13:24 remaining in the final session, but that’d be the closest MIT would get as Babson used a 4-0 run, sparked by Bunick that pushed the Beavers ahead for good.

“The looks were there and they were open, but we weren’t catching them in the first half, but the second half we really clicked back in and put them in the goal,” said Packer.

Babson outshot MIT, 41-21 and won the battle of groundballs, 45-39. The Engineers won 10 of 18 face-offs, highlighted by Britt Cyr, who led all players at X.

“We played reasonably well, but we just couldn’t make enough plays in the end,” said MIT head coach Walter Alessi. “(Our guys) played to their ability and even above, but (Babson) just made a few more plays… but the kids played hard right to the end.”

With the win, the Beavers will travel to Springfield on Saturday to face-off against the Pride in a Pilgrim League Championship rematch from last season.

“We’ve got to continue to fight and continue to claw and try to go for 60 minutes and give them every little bit that we have because if we don’t we won’t have another opportunity,” said Babson head coach Brendan Gorman.

Springfield 13, Clark 3: The Pride used a 6-0 run spanning the first and second quarters that helped Springfield overcome a 2-0 deficit and go onto defeat the Cougars in the NEWMAC semifinals.

Bryce Serriello led Springfield with four tallies, while Dylan Sheehan registered two goals and two assists. Connor Nash, who started the game in net, turned away seven of nine shots.

Clark’s Nick Johnson and John Goracy combined for three helpers and one tally in the setback.

By Matt Noonan 

A late touchdown pass from Conner Hempel to Andrew Fischer sealed a 31-24 victory for Harvard University against Yale University on Saturday afternoon at Harvard Stadium in the 131st meeting between the Crimson and Bulldogs.

Trailing 7-3 in the third quarter, Harvard responded with three consecutive touchdowns to earn a 24-7 advantage. Paul Stanton Jr.’s one-yard scamper with 10:06 remaining in the session provided the hosts with their second lead of the afternoon.

Yale’s Tyler Varga jumpstarted a fourth quarter rally with a one-yard TD run with 12:35 remaining. Varga located Morgan Roberts roughly four minutes after his rushing score for an eight-yard touchdown pass before Kyle Cazzetta tied the game at 24-24 with a 33-yard field goal.

With less than a minute remaining, Harvard responded for the final time as Fischer hauled in the game-winning touchdown pass with 55 seconds remaining. Fischer led all receivers with eight receptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns.

Harvard finished their 2014 campaign 10-0 and Ivy League champions.

MIT 27, Husson 20 (OT): The perfect season remains intact as the Engineers’ defense denied a potential game-tying touchdown in overtime to secure their initial postseason victory in program history.

Quarterback Peter Williams completed 20 of 29 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns, while Justin Wallace rushed for 144 yards and one score.

MIT trailed Husson, 14-10, in the third quarter, but Brad Goldsberry pushed the Engineers ahead, 17-14, with a six-yard touchdown reception with 3:54 remaining in the session.

The Eagles jumped ahead, 20-14, on a 14-yard touchdown reception from Joe Seccareccia to Cody Williams with 5:37 remaining. MIT evened the score at 20-20 with a 38-yard field goal by Tucker Cheyne, forcing an extra session.

In overtime, Williams hooked up with Seve Esparrago for a 13-yard touchdown strike, capping an 11-play, 49-yard drive. On the ensuing possession, Husson drove to the MIT nine-yard line, but came up short on a 4th-and-4 when Seccarecia’s pass fell incomplete.

MIT advances to the second round of the NCAA Div. III Tournament and will play Wesley College next Saturday, November 29.

Framingham State 42, RPI 36: Matthew Silva’s one-yard touchdown run in overtime proved to be the difference as the Rams defeated the Engineers in the ECAC North Atlantic Bowl.

Silva finished the afternoon completing 17 of 34 passes for 273 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 16 yards on three carries.

Framingham State’s Kevin Donahue was named the game’s Most Outstanding Player after making a game-saving tackle in overtime that secure the win for the Rams.

By Matt Noonan 

It’s been a busy fall for numerous Massachusetts college teams, especially those that extended their campaigns beyond their regular season slates.

As of today, three local Division III squads remain in the hunt for some NCAA championship hardware and below is an update on where each squads stands.

Football: MIT’s football team – perhaps the story of the 2014 fall collegiate season? – won their first-ever postseason contest (in program history!) last weekend with a 27-20 overtime victory against Husson College (the winner of the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference). The Engineers advanced to tomorrow’s second round game against Wesley College, kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. If the Engineers can squeak out a victory against the fourth-ranked Wolverines, they’ll extend their season into December and compete against the winner of Hobart-Johns Hopkins on Saturday, December 6.

Men’s Soccer: The Jumbos of Tufts University punched their ticket to the 2014 NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer semifinals with a 1-0 victory against Messiah. Prior to their quarterfinal win, the Powder Blue and White defeated Dickinson, Wheaton (Mass.) and Muhlenberg. The Jumbos have outscored all four of their opponents by a score of 9-0.

Tufts returns to action on Friday, December 5 when they compete against Ohio Wesleyan. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. The game will take place at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri. If the Jumbos prevail, they’d face the winner of Oneonta State-Wheaton (Ill.) on Saturday, December 6 at 2:30 p.m. in the finals.

According to NCAA.com, the Jumbos have never appeared or competed in a national championship match.

Women’s Soccer: The second NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference) squad to extend their fall season into December is the Williams College women’s soccer team. The Ephs, who’ll face Johns Hopkins on Friday, December 5 at 8:30 p.m., secured a spot in the 2014 NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Tournament semifinals with four consecutive victories. Williams topped Lasell and Ithaca in the first and second rounds before claiming wins against Roger Williams and TCNJ in the third round and quarterfinals. Their last two wins against the Hawks and Lions were decided by one goal.

A win against the Blue Jays would pit Williams against Lynchburg or Illinois Wesleyan – the other two semifinalists. This year’s championship and semifinal matches will occur at the Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri. The finals – scheduled for Saturday, December 6 – would occur at 6:30 p.m.

According to NCAA.com, the Ephs have never competed in a national championship match. However, Williams did host a finals match in 1999, but the game featured UC San Diego and Macalester.

By Matt Noonan 

This is my very first – and hopefully more will follow, I will do my best, I promise! – of my Weekend Notebook/Column series. My plan is to post a weekly column every Sunday that highlights an event, game or moment from the past week in the world of Massachusetts’s college sports.

So, without further ado, here is my first Weekend Notebook/Column!

And if you would like to critique it, send me a note or possibly pitch an idea for this weekly column or any future blog posts, you can contact me at NoontimeSports@gmail.com.

MIT-WPI, A Great Rivalry: Yesterday, I had the great fortune of PA Announcing MIT-WPI men’s basketball, the first of two meetings this season. Prior to the contest, WPI head coach, Chris Bartley, remarked, “This must be a big game with you announcing.” I laughed and wished him good luck.

MIT-WPI has truly become a marquee matchup or a must-see over the past few seasons. Sure, you have Amherst-Williams and Bentley-Stonehill, two great matchups, too, but there really is something special about these games.

Yesterday’s contest truly demonstrated why this is a must-see matchup. MIT was victorious, claiming a 51-46 win over WPI. The game featured five ties and one lead change. Four players – two from each side – reached double-figures, while MIT and WPI recorded 31 team rebounds, respectively.

MIT and WPI will play their second game on February 11, a game that could determine seeding for the upcoming NEWMAC Tournament. The Engineers of WPI swept the regular season meeting last year, but lost to MIT in the semifinals of the conference tournament last March, 64-46.

“We just had to come out, bring lots of energy (and) make sure we were out there in every play, in the play, both mentally and physically, so we could get it done,” MIT’s Matt Redfield said after last year’s tournament win over their rival.

Who knows, maybe we could see MIT-WPI in the NEWMAC title game later this winter, it certainly is possible!

Since the 2011, MIT or WPI has either won the league and tournament crown. The Engineers of MIT, who have won the conference tournament in three of the last four seasons, have also finished as Regular Season Champions twice since the 2011 campaign. They also shared the regular season crown in 2012 with WPI.

WPI last won the Tournament in 2013, their first tournament victory since beating MIT in the title match, 69-56, in 2006.

Said Bartley after winning the 2013 Tournament Title against Springfield College, “It’s a great feeling because it’s been a long time.”

So, mark your calendar for February 11, the rematch of yesterday’s back-and-forth affair. And I promise you, it will be another great chapter in this rivalry of Engineers.

Links from Around the Web: 

* Stonehill College’s women’s basketball team won their sixth consecutive game yesterday, beating Pace, 63-46. Jamie Panton recorded a season-high 11 points in the win.

* A late three-pointer helped Williams’ men’s basketball team edge Amherst College in Williamstown. Check out the story from the Berkshire Eagle.

* Boston University’s Victoria Bach registered a career-best three points in last night’s 5-3 win over Maine.

* Wheaton College’s women’s basketball team halted Springfield’s six-game winning streak yesterday with a 64-53 win. The Lyons are now in a three-way tie for first place in the conference with Babson College and Springfield.

By Matt Noonan 

It has been an extremely exciting 10 months of Division III College sports.

Tufts University highlighted the school year by winning a trio of championships in men’s soccer, men’s lacrosse and softball. The Jumbos’ softball team accomplished a feat that had never occurred in Division III, winning three consecutive World Series crowns (2013, 2014 and 2015). The men’s lacrosse team captured its second straight title (and third since 2010) by defeating Lynchburg, 19-11, while the men’s soccer team earned its first national championship with a 4-2 win over Wheaton College (Ill.).

Babson College also appeared in the headlines following its amazing come-from-behind win against Trinity College in the Sectional Finals. Trailing the Bantams, 41-33, entering the second stanza, the Beavers rallied by outscoring their opponent, 33-25, which extended the content into overtime. In the extra session, Joey Flannery converted three free throws, John Wickey sank a jumper, Matthew Droney scored a three-pointer and Sam Bohmiller hit a pair of free throws to clinch the victory and send Babson to its first-ever semifinal.

For the second year in a row, the Tufts women’s basketball team advanced to the semifinals. Carla Berube was presented the Pat Summitt Trophy as the 2015 United States Marine Corps/ Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in April. Under Berube, the Jumbos won back-to-back New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) titles (2014 and 2015).

MIT made its initial appearance in the NCAA Tournament and won its first-ever postseason contest against Husson College. Trailing the Eagles, 20-17, Tucker Cheyne booted a 38-yard field goal at the end of regulation that evened the score at 20-20. In the extra session, the Engineers secured the victory when Peter Williams hooked up with Seve Esparrago for a 13-yard touchdown strike.

The Amherst College men’s ice hockey team came within one game of the national championship. The Jeffs earned a semifinal matchup with Wisconsin-Stevens Point following a dramatic 4-3 victory over Norwich University. Mike Rowbotham extended the Jeffs’ season with an overtime goal – his ninth of the season (at the time) – that helped Amherst edge the Cadets. Trinity would up winning the national title, defeating Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 5-2.

A 1-0 victory against Johns Hopkins University sent the Williams College women’s soccer team to the finals. The Ephs, however, fell to Lynchburg in penalty kicks following a scoreless tie after two full halves of soccer, along with a pair of overtime periods. Audrey Thomas scored the lone goal in Williams’ win over Johns Hopkins in the semifinal. Prior to their semifinal and final appearances, the Ephs claimed tournament wins over Lasell College, Ithaca College, Roger Williams University and TCNJ.

By NoontimeSports.com 

The 26^th Annual USA College Football Division III Preseason All-American teams were released today and 26 players were selected to the First, Second and Third Teams.

Below are the 27 players that received preseason honors, along with their school and position.

First Team:

Kemani Jones (Worcester State/RB)

Lucien Cance (Nichols College/ FB)

Keith Rodman (Springfied College /FB)

Kevin Gray (Anna Maria College /OL)

Nick Stanfield (Framingham State/OL)

Marcus Pettigrew (Westfield State/DL)

Luis Feliz (Fitchburg State/LB)

Dean Soucie (Western New England/LB)

Matt Mangano (Framingham State/DB)

Vinny Tavernelli (WPI/P)

Second Team:

Matt Silva (Framingham State/QB)

Chris Bettano (Anna Maria/ RB)

Brian Copeland (MIT/OL)

Joseph Hak (Bridgewater State/OL)

Kyle Regan (Endicott College/PK)

Quentin Jones (Framingham State/DL)

Jaymie Spears (Amherst College/DB)

Sean Murphy (WPI/DB)

Richard Bellizzi (UMass Dartmouth/P)

Third Team:

Ryan Sweeney (Westfield State/FB)

David Digiorgi (Curry College/FB)

Elliot Tobin (MIT/OL)

Joe Hanley (MIT/OL)

Elvis Romero (Bridgewater State/DL)

Derek Tarpey (UMass Dartmouth/LB)

Greg Sheridan (Westfield State/DB)

By Matt Noonan 

Amherst College, Framingham State and MIT each appeared in the ‘receiving votes’ category in this week’s D3Football.com preseason poll.

All three teams captured their respective conferences last fall, while MIT won its first-ever NCAA Division III postseason contest against Husson, while Framingham State rallied to defeat RPI in the ECAC North Atlantic Bowl.

MIT will begin its New England Football Conference (NEFC) title defense on Friday, September 4 when they travel to Worcester for a non-conference clash with WPI with kick-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The Engineers of Cambridge are 6-5-1 all-time against the Engineers of Worcester, however, MIT’s last victory against WPI occurred during their 1900 campaign.

One day after MIT-WPI, Framingham State will begin its Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) title defense with a non-conference visit to Beverly as the Rams will play Endicott College with kick-off scheduled for 12:00 p.m. Last season, the Rams edged the Gulls in Framingham, 20-17.

Amherst, which captured the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) title last year, will begin its eight-game slate on Saturday, September 26 when the Lord Jeffs visit Bates College for a 1:00 p.m. kick-off. The Jeffs registered a pair of touchdowns against the Bobcats to claim a 14-6 opening week victory last September in Amherst.

By Matt Noonan 

Framingham State University’s Nick Stanfield and MIT’s Elliot Tobin were each honored by D3Football.com on Friday, earning preseason All-American honors. Both Stanfield and Tobin were selected to the second team.

Stanfield is a three-year starter for the Rams, coming off a solid junior season, which saw the Everett native collect multiple post-season awards. He was recognized by the New England Football Writers as a Division II/III All-New England selection, while being named the Massachusetts Sate Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Offensive Lineman of the Year. Stanfield was a first-year all-conference selection and helped the Rams offensive line yield just eight sacks.

Tobin claimed the New England Football Conference (NEFC) Offensive Lineman of the Year award and was named a first-team all-conference selection and honorable mention All-American. Tobin assisted the Engineers’ offense in re-writing the MIT record book, guiding the Cardinal and Gray to the program’s first-ever conference crown. MIT captured its initial NCAA Tournament game, defeating Husson College in overtime.

By Matt Noonan 

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – After capturing the program’s initial New England Football Conference (NEFC) crown last season, as well as advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship, the MIT football team has begun preparations for its upcoming season, which begins next Friday, September 4 against WPI.

The Engineers return a majority of its championship team, including a fast, athletic defense that maybe the best unit head coach Chad Martinovich has coached during his time in Cambridge.

MIT, however, will need to fill the voids of Peter Williams, Brad Goldsberry and Justin Wallace, but luckily the Cardinal and Gray have depth at the quarterback and running back position, respectively.

Senior wide-out Seve Esparrago returns – he is very optimistic about the offensive unit (noted in the video above) – along with classmate Nathan Varady.

After the Engineers visit WPI in week one, they will travel to Becker College (Sat. Sept. 12) and RPI (Sept. 19) before competing in front of the home crowd on Saturday, September 26 against Maine Maritime Academy – MIT’s initial conference clash.

MIT was picked to capture the NEFC, garnering six first-place votes, while Western New England was picked to finish second – the Golden Bears collected a pair of first-place votes.

For more information on the Engineers’ football team — HOP HERE   

By Matt Noonan

Following their second New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) victory of the season on Wednesday, WPI women’s basketball head coach Cherise Galasso admitted she was content with her squad’s victory, but knows her team’s season is far from over.

The Engineers are off to an impressive start, winning six of seven games, including four straight, dating back to last month. WPI begins a six-game road trip tomorrow when they travel to MIT, which has won three of five contests thus far.

“The key for us has been our preparation and focusing on getting better every day,” said Galasso.

“Staying in the moment, not getting too high or too low, and we try to focus on process versus the outcome. I think if we can buy into that mentality, the system and each other then we have a chance to truly compete at a higher level.”

WPI has clearly ‘bought into the system,’ relying on every player to contribute, both on offense and defense. Sophomore Ama Biney, who also competes for the Engineers’ softball team, leads WPI with 69 points, including nine trifectas. Classmate Stasha Greenalch and senior Lisa Mendez have proven they can connect from beyond the arc, netting six triples, respectively.

On defense, junior Tess Nogueira leads the unit with six blocks, while Biney has snatched 31 defensive rebounds. Junior Priscilla Dunphy has recorded the most rebounds – 41 boards to be exact – while Nogueira has helped the team set-up second or third opportunities with a team-high 19 offensive caroms.

“It’s been pretty exciting for us to see different players stepping up each night whether it’s on the boards or with steals or assists and scoring,” said Galasso.

“We thought coming into the season we had the potential to be pretty deep and be able to utilize various lineups in each game. I think that is still a work in progress for us with so many players stepping into new roles, but our upperclassmen have done a terrific job of setting the tone and being consistent with the little things we value in our system, especially on defense.”

WPI’s upperclassmen will be counted on over the next few weeks as the Engineers look to continue their early season momentum.

Following their visit to MIT, the Engineers will make a short trek to Fitchburg State next Tuesday, December 8 before competing in the Daytona Shootout on Sunday, December 20 and Monday, December 21 against King’s (Pennsylvania) and Alvenia (Pennsylvania) in Dayton, Florida.

The Engineers conclude their six-game trip with visits to Simmons College on Saturday, January 2 and Wellesley College on Wednesday, January 6 before returning home to face Wheaton College on Saturday, January 9.

“This group has done a great job of not looking ahead and not looking back. They are a very motivated team who really care about each other, so I don’t think it will be hard to keep them focused (during this six-game stretch),” said Galasso. “I think getting positive results has helped, but this next stretch will be a good challenge.

“Overcoming adversity is what it’s all about, so we will focus on what we can control and keep working on staying positive mentally. If we give energy to each other consistently then we will be able to withstand the tough moments that come up in games whether they are home or on the road.”

By NoontimeSports.com 

2015 was a special year for college athletics in the Bay State.

And before we press fast-forward to 2016, let’s take a look back at some of the biggest stories and headlines from this past year.

* The Tufts University men’s lacrosse team captured its third NCAA title, including the program’s second consecutive crown with a 19-11 victory against Lynchburg.

* Allyson Fournier navigated the Tufts softball team to its third consecutive title as the four-time All-American pitcher helped the Jumbos defeat Texas-Tyler, 7-4.

Tufts concluded the 2015 season with a 51-0 record, while becoming the first Division III softball team to win three consecutive national championships.

* The Boston University men’s ice hockey team captured the Beanpot and Hockey East – the program’s eighth conference title – while earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Terriers advanced to the ‘Frozen Four’ championship, but fell to Providence College on Causeway Street in Boston.

* Amherst College saw its men’s soccer program capture its initial NCAA title earlier this month with a 2-1victory against Loras. Bryce Ciambella netted the game-winning goal in the 55th minute to lift the Jeffs to victory.

* The Williams College women’s soccer team won its first-ever championship, thanks to a first half marker by Kristina Alvarado, which helped the Ephs defeat Washington (Mo.), 1-0.

* On the gridiron, the Assumption College football team captured the Northeast-10 Conference championship, defeating New Haven, 17-14. Cody Lynn connected with Alex Shain on a one-yard touchdown strike midway through the fourth quarter, which helped the Hounds rally from a five-point deficit.

The Hounds then went onto capture a first-round NCAA Division II tournament game, defeating Bowie State by a score of 51-29. Marc Monks accounted for four touchdowns during his team’s 11th win of the season.

* The Tufts football team finished its eight-game slate with a 6-2 record, winning six games for the first time since 2001. The Jumbos capped their campaign with a 31-28 victory against Middlebury College.

* Amherst College concluded its 2015 football season with an 8-0 ledger, along with the program’s sixth New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) crown. The Jeffs won the championship last season and shared the crown with Middlebury College and Wesleyan University in 2013.

* The Babson College men’s basketball team advanced to the semifinals for the first-time in program history after rallying past Trinity College (Conn.) in the regional final. Joey Flannery sent the game to overtime with a layup late in the second stanza before Matthew Droney punched the Green and White’s ticket to the semifinals with a trifecta with 54 seconds remaining in overtime.

Babson ended its 2014-15 campaign with 29 victories, along with their first New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) championship since 2004.

* The MIT women’s lacrosse team captured the program’s first-ever NEWMAC crown, defeating Wellesley College and Springfield College. The Engineers season concluded with the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament victory against Regis College (Mass.).

MIT’s Emily Young finished her first season with the Cardinal and Gray by tallying 86 points on 75 goals and 11 assists.

* The Williams women’s tennis team capped its 2015 season with a 5-4 victory against Emory in the national championship. Linda Shin secured the title with a second-set victory.

Williams has now defeated Emory for the title four times (2002, 2010, 2013 and 2015) and lead Division III in women’s tennis titles with nine crowns.

* The Merrimack College men’s lacrosse team won the program’s first-ever NCAA Division II tournament game by beating Adelphi in the quarterfinals. The victory avenged a conference tournament setback to the Panthers.

* Stonehill College signal-caller Matt Foltz made headlines during the fourth week of the season by engineering a trio of touchdown drives during the final 62 seconds as the Skyhawks rallied to beat LIU Post, 40-37. Foltz capped the rally with a last-second heave to Corey White in the end zone.