MEDFORD, Mass. - The Tufts University men's soccer team scored three times in the second half Tuesday night to break open a 1-1 tie and go on to a 4-1 victory over Plymouth State University in non-conference action under the lights at Bello Field.

            Freshman Matt Blumenthal (Simsbury, Conn.) with a goal and an assist and sophomore Alex Lach (Lexington, Mass.) with two assists led Tufts offensively. The win stops a two-game slide for Tufts (5-3-1). The four goals scored end a two-game scoreless streak and are the most in a game this season for the Jumbos. Plymouth lost its second straight and dropped to 4-7.

            The visiting Panthers scored first after a string of corner kicks by senior Semir Mehmedovic (Concord, N.H.). The third consecutive corner was knocked in by freshman Dre Cabral (Tokyo, Japan) for a 1-0 Panther lead in the 22nd minute.

            The game featured good back-and-forth action by both sides, with lots of shots. Tufts evened the count at 1-1 four minutes after the Plymouth goal when senior tri-captain Peter DeGregorio (Whately, Mass.) converted a pass from Lach. Plymouth went to the break holding an 11-10 advantage in shots. Both keepers were tested in the first 45 minutes, with Plymouth's Tyler Shute (Deerfield, N.H.) making six saves and Jumbo Pat Tonelli (Andover, Mass.) five.

            The Jumbos were opportunistic in the second half. They scored just three minutes into the period when a long, low cross by Lach found freshman Pat Doherty (Sharon, Mass.), and his shot beat Shute for the eventual game-winner. An outstanding individual effort by Jumbo freshman Matt Blumenthal (Simsbury, Conn.) created the third Tufts goal, as he raced around the Panther defense and deposited his first career goal in the 67th minute. Junior Dan Schoening (Kenmore, Wash.) completed the scoring off a corner kick by Blumenthal in the 78th minute.

            The Panthers finished the match with a 23-21 advantage in shots and 10-2 in corner kicks. Tonelli had five more saves in the second half for 10 total. Shute finished with 10 saves as well.

            Tufts travels to Middlebury on Saturday (Oct. 11) for a NESCAC match at 1:30 pm. Plymouth State is at Western Connecticut in a Little East Conference tilt on Saturday at 1 p.m. 

(Courtesy of Tufts Sports Information) 

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