Men’s lacrosse is showing off on offense, and their ability to score has helped them immensely over their past few games. After beginning their season 4–0, the Beacons dropped two games, the latter being an 18–17 battle against Southwestern University on March 13. It didn’t take long for them to recover, though. Their offensive firepower helped them embark on a multi-game win-streak, one that included a 32–6 thrashing of Salem State on Saturday, March 23 [1].
After falling short against the Pirates, the Beacons returned to New England to take on New England College. According to Beacons Athletics, midfielder Sean Daly got the scoring started for UMass Boston, helping them jump out to a 1–0 lead one minute into the contest [2]. A pair of goals by the Nor’Easters put the Beacons down 2–1, but from there, UMass Boston’s offense and defense began to click.
Five unanswered goals brought the Beacons out to a 6–2 lead, two came from Greg Wolff in a 2:18 span. A goal by New England made the game 6–3 with 10:36 left in the second quarter, but the Beacons outscored the Nor’Easters 4–1 over the remainder of the half, giving them a 10–4 lead at the break.
Daly was responsible for two of the final four goals scored, giving him a hat trick with three on the day. He would finish the game with five scores, while Wolff netted his third goal in the fourth quarter for a second Beacons hat trick.
The Nor’Easters attempted to storm back in the second half, cutting the deficit to 10–6 at one point. However, the Beacons’ defense and goaltending was too strong, limiting the other team to just eight goals and 16 shots en route to a 15–8 victory. James Boldy’s terrific play in net accounted for New England’s lack of scoring; it was the fourth time in which he allowed fewer than ten goals, according to Beacons Athletics [3].
Boldy also played a pivotal role in their following game against Salem State, though his ability to shut down the Vikings was quickly overshadowed by the Beacons’ outstanding day on offense. UMass Boston scored 32 goals, which according to Beacons Athletics, was one goal shy of the program’s record—that being against Salem State in a 33–2 win last year [4].
Despite the win, the opening moments didn’t come without a few hiccups. Luke Murphy made it 1–0 UMass Boston 2:17 into the match, but two goals by Salem State put the Beacons in a 2–1 deficit. Wolff knotted things up at two apiece with 5:32 left in the opening frame, yet the Vikings maintained control, reclaiming a 4–2 lead 77 seconds later.
UMass Boston managed to tie things up at four by the end of the first with goals by Tadas Baltadounis and Brayden MacLean, and their scores turned out to be a catalyst for the Beacons’ offensive surge.
According to Beacons Athletics’ scoring summary, Baltadounis’ goal began a streak of 10 unanswered goals for the Beacons, and over the next three quarters, UMass Boston outscored Salem State 28–2, vaporizing the Vikings [5].
MacLean gave the Beacons a 5–4 lead 35 seconds into the second quarter, and earned himself a hat trick with his third goal just 32 seconds later. He finished with five on the day, and was one of five Beacons to record three or more goals, as well as one of nine players to record a multi-goal game [5].
Zach Mann tied MacLean for the most goals in the game; four of them came in succession over a span of 1:47 in the second quarter. His streak of goals gave the Beacons an 18–5 lead heading into halftime, and were key scores in the Beacons’ 14–0 run in the second and third quarters. After a sixth Vikings goal in the fourth quarter, the Beacons scored five more in the final 11:33 for a 33–6 win.
Coming off of their win against Salem State, UMass Boston continued their hot streak with a 17–15 win over Salve Regina University. According to Beacons Athletics, it was the Beacons’ first win against the squad since 2007 [6]. It was a back-and-forth battle between the two programs, with neither team pulling away—the largest lead being three goals.
Leading 15–12 after three quarters, the team was able to hold off a Seahawks comeback with goals by Wolff and Charlie Chapman in the fourth—the latter coming with two seconds left in the game, per Beacons Athletics [7]. Boldy’s heroics was also a key contributor to the Beacons’ win, as he stopped 12 of 17 shots in the second half [6].
Needless to say, men’s lacrosse’s recent hot streak can be chalked up to their offensive surge, but they’ve been performing exceptionally well in all three phases of the game. With a game coming up against 20th ranked Babson College Tuesday, April 2, it’s important the Beacons stay sharp, as it can help them come out victorious against the Beavers.
- 2024 Men’s Lacrosse Schedule – UMass Boston (beaconsathletics.com)
- Men’s Lacrosse vs University of New England on 3/20/2024 – Box Score – UMass Boston (beaconsathletics.com)
- Beacons Find Sea Legs in Return to New England – UMass Boston (beaconsathletics.com)
- Men’s Lacrosse Spreads The Wealth in Big Win Over Salem State – UMass Boston (beaconsathletics.com)
- Men’s Lacrosse vs Salem State University on 3/23/2024 – Box Score – UMass Boston (beaconsathletics.com)