When most people think of Tufts University and Yale, they think brains, books, and undoubtedly future CEOs and doctors of America. What they may not realize is that both of these schools are home to two incredibly talented men’s lacrosse teams, who compete year after year for top NCAA honors.
Last season, Tufts ended the year at 16-5, only to suffer a disappointing loss in the NCAA Quarterfinals against Rochester (they lost 14-5). Yale finished at 12-5, and although they missed out on a deep run into the tournament, they certainly made their mark, proving that they would be a team to watch in the future.
The two teams did not meet in the 2013 regular season, but this Saturday they will face off in a scrimmage set to kick off at 1:00 pm at Yale. Ultimately, the game may not count for much, but experience and practice should never be undervalued in any sport, especially with two teams as talented as these.
Tufts is home to five newly honored USILA All-Americans, including senior captain Andrew Fiamengo, while Yale honors three of their players in the same category. In addition to these players, each team invited a slew of new talent to compete on their 2014 roster, so the mix of new, young talent and veteran players should positively affect both teams on all ends of the field.
Last season, both teams displayed a strong offense, but Tufts owned a slightly better goals-per-game at 14.10, while Yale’s efforts lead to an average of 10.18 gpg. Defensively, Tufts was again slightly better, causing more turnovers and saving more shots on net. Yale did however win more games on the road, showing that they can play, and win, just about anywhere.
Both teams made some improvements in the off season and have a lot of talent returning. I don’t normally go against the home team, but Tufts appears to be the best all-around squad of the two, and they should come away with a win come Saturday.
