How did RIT and Salisbury reach the 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship. What were the key moments in their semifinal victories. How have these powerhouse programs fared in recent championship matchups.
The Road to the 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship
The stage is set for an epic showdown between two of the most storied programs in Division III men’s lacrosse. On Sunday, May 28, 2023 at 4pm, the Salisbury Sea Gulls (22-1) will face off against the Tufts Jumbos (22-0) in Philadelphia for the national title. Both teams had to overcome fierce competition in the semifinals to punch their tickets to the championship game.
Tufts Ends RIT’s Championship Reign
In a battle of undefeated titans, the Tufts Jumbos defeated the two-time defending champion RIT Tigers 15-11. After a tightly contested 4-4 first quarter, Tufts broke the game open with a decisive 6-0 run spanning the second and third quarters. This surge gave the Jumbos a commanding 10-4 lead that proved too much for RIT to overcome.
Tommy Swank led the Tufts offense with a hat trick during the pivotal run. While RIT mounted a late 5-2 rally, the Tigers struggled to generate consistent offense in the fourth quarter against a stifling Jumbos defense. Tufts dominated the shot count 61-39 and caused numerous issues for RIT’s clearing game.
Salisbury Secures 20th Championship Game Appearance
The Salisbury Sea Gulls punched their ticket to a landmark 20th national title game with a hard-fought 12-8 victory over Christopher Newport. After falling behind 3-2 in the first quarter, Salisbury seized control with a 7-1 run spanning into the fourth quarter. This push gave the Sea Gulls a 9-4 advantage.
Christopher Newport refused to go quietly, scoring three straight goals to close the gap to 9-7. However, Salisbury weathered the storm and closed out the win with three insurance goals, including two from Cross Ferrara. The Sea Gulls’ balanced offensive attack and lockdown defense in the middle quarters proved to be the difference.
Historical Context: RIT’s Recent Championship Success
While RIT’s quest for a three-peat fell short in 2023, it’s worth examining their incredible run of success in recent years. The Tigers captured back-to-back national titles in 2021 and 2022, cementing their status as a Division III lacrosse powerhouse.
RIT’s 2022 Championship Triumph
On May 29, 2022, RIT secured its second consecutive NCAA Division III national championship with a thrilling 12-10 victory over Union College. The win marked a significant milestone for the program, as Head Coach Jake Coon noted: “There are only six programs that have ever won back-to-back championships, so it is a really special moment for this team, for our program, and the university.”
The championship game was a tale of two halves. Union jumped out to an early 7-2 lead, seemingly poised for an upset. However, RIT showcased their championship pedigree with a remarkable comeback. The Tigers steadily chipped away at the deficit, finally taking the lead in the third quarter and never looking back.
RIT’s Path to Lacrosse Dominance
RIT’s recent success is the culmination of years of program building. The 2022 title game marked the Tigers’ fourth national championship appearance, having previously reached the final in 2013, 2017, and 2021. Their breakthrough came in 2021 with a double-overtime thriller against none other than Salisbury, clinching the university’s first-ever national lacrosse title.
Salisbury vs Tufts: A Rivalry Renewed
The 2023 championship matchup between Salisbury and Tufts is not just a meeting of two talented teams, but a renewal of a fierce rivalry between perennial contenders. These programs have a history of high-stakes encounters in recent years.
Recent Head-to-Head Battles
The most recent clash between Salisbury and Tufts came on May 21, 2022, in the NCAA quarterfinals. In that contest, Tufts emerged victorious with a convincing 17-10 win over the Sea Gulls. This result adds an extra layer of intrigue to the upcoming championship game, as Salisbury will be seeking revenge on the biggest stage.
Championship Pedigrees
Both Salisbury and Tufts enter the 2023 title game with impressive resumes. Salisbury’s appearance marks their 20th in a national championship game, an astounding feat that speaks to the program’s consistent excellence. Tufts, while not boasting quite as many finals appearances, has established itself as a Division III powerhouse in its own right over the past decade.
Keys to Victory: Salisbury’s Path to Championship Glory
For Salisbury to capture another national title, they’ll need to leverage their strengths and address potential weaknesses. Here are some critical factors that could determine the outcome:
- Offensive Balance: The Sea Gulls will need contributions from multiple attackers, as seen in their semifinal win. Players like Cross Ferrara must continue to step up in crucial moments.
- Defensive Consistency: Salisbury’s defense was lockdown for long stretches against Christopher Newport. Maintaining that level of play for a full 60 minutes will be crucial against a potent Tufts offense.
- Mental Toughness: Bouncing back from last year’s quarterfinal loss to Tufts will require resilience. The Sea Gulls must stay focused and composed, especially if they face early adversity.
- Face-off Dominance: Controlling possession through face-off wins can help Salisbury dictate the pace of the game and limit Tufts’ offensive opportunities.
Tufts’ Blueprint for Securing the Championship
The undefeated Jumbos have a clear path to victory if they can execute in several key areas:
- Maintain Offensive Firepower: Tufts’ ability to go on scoring runs, as seen in their 6-0 surge against RIT, can quickly change the complexion of a game.
- Defensive Pressure: The Jumbos’ defense disrupted RIT’s clearing game and forced numerous turnovers. Replicating this pressure against Salisbury could create valuable transition opportunities.
- Goaltending: Strong play between the pipes will be essential to weathering any potential Salisbury scoring outbursts.
- Composure: As the only undefeated team remaining, Tufts must handle the pressure of perfection and not let the moment overwhelm them.
The Impact of Championship Experience
Both Salisbury and Tufts bring a wealth of big-game experience to this championship matchup. How might this factor into the outcome of the game?
Salisbury’s Championship Pedigree
With 20 championship game appearances, Salisbury’s program is steeped in tradition and expectations of excellence. This experience can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the Sea Gulls are unlikely to be rattled by the pressure of the moment. Players and coaches have been here before and understand what it takes to perform on the biggest stage.
However, the weight of those expectations and the desire to add another title to their impressive collection could potentially lead to tight play if things don’t go according to plan early in the game. Salisbury’s ability to stay loose and play their game, regardless of the score or situation, will be crucial.
Tufts’ Recent Playoff Success
While Tufts may not have as extensive a championship history as Salisbury, the program has firmly established itself as a Division III powerhouse over the past decade. The Jumbos’ dominant run through the playoffs, including their victory over two-time defending champion RIT, demonstrates their ability to rise to the occasion in high-pressure situations.
Tufts’ perfect record entering the championship game is a testament to their consistency and mental toughness throughout the season. This confidence and momentum could serve them well in a tight contest against Salisbury.
Tactical Considerations for the Championship Showdown
As Salisbury and Tufts prepare for their title clash, several tactical elements could prove decisive in determining the outcome.
Pace of Play
Will the game develop into a high-scoring shootout or a defensive slugfest? Both teams have shown the ability to excel in different styles of play. Salisbury may look to control possession and work for high-percentage scoring opportunities, while Tufts could push the tempo to create unsettled situations that favor their explosive offense.
Matchups to Watch
Individual battles across the field will play a significant role in shaping the game’s flow. Keep an eye on these key matchups:
- Face-off Specialists: Gaining possession advantage could be crucial in a closely contested game.
- Offensive Stars vs. Defensive Stoppers: How will each team’s top scorers fare against the opposition’s best defenders?
- Goalkeeper Play: In a championship setting, a hot goalie can be the difference-maker. Which netminder will rise to the occasion?
Adjustments and Adaptability
Championship games often come down to which team can make effective in-game adjustments. Both coaching staffs will need to be prepared to alter their game plans based on how the contest unfolds. This could involve tweaking defensive schemes, changing offensive sets, or adjusting personnel groupings to exploit favorable matchups.
The Legacy Impact of the 2023 Championship
Beyond crowning a national champion, the outcome of this game will have significant implications for the legacy of both programs and the individuals involved.
Salisbury’s Quest for Continued Dominance
A victory for Salisbury would further cement their status as the premier program in Division III men’s lacrosse. It would add another chapter to their storied history and serve as a testament to the program’s ability to reload and compete for championships year after year, regardless of player turnover.
Tufts’ Opportunity for a Perfect Season
For Tufts, capturing the national title would cap off a perfect season and elevate the program to new heights. An undefeated run culminating in a championship would likely be remembered as one of the most impressive campaigns in recent Division III lacrosse history.
Individual Legacies
For seniors and graduate students on both teams, this game represents their final opportunity to leave a lasting mark on their collegiate careers. Standout performances in the championship game can etch a player’s name in program lore and potentially open doors for post-collegiate lacrosse opportunities.
As the lacrosse world eagerly anticipates this clash of titans, one thing is certain: the 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship promises to be a thrilling conclusion to an outstanding season. Whether Salisbury adds to its championship collection or Tufts completes a perfect season, fans are in for a treat as these two exceptional programs battle for supremacy.
Salisbury, Tufts to Meet for Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship
Salisbury, Tufts to Meet for Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship | USA Lacrosse Magazine
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Salisbury, Tufts to Meet for Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship
Sun May 21 2023 | Kenny DeJohn | College
College Men Division III
PHOTO COURTESY OF SALISBURY ATHLETICS
Salisbury is headed to its 20th championship game in program history.
The Division III men’s NCAA championship game matchup is set, and it’ll be a meeting between two storied D-III programs.
Salisbury and Tufts will do battle in Philadelphia on Sunday, May 26, at 4 p.m. for the Division III crown.
But how did they get there? They had to dispatch two other Division III beasts on Sunday.
NCAA DIVISION III MEN’S
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Sunday, May 28, 4 p.
m. — Salisbury (22-1) vs. Tufts (22-0)
TUFTS 15, RIT 11
There won’t be a three-peat in 2023. Tufts dispatched the two-time defending champion Tigers of RIT, using a six-goal run in the middle of the game to create a little separation in a 15-11 win.
A 4-4 game after the first quarter was immediately broken open by the undefeated Jumbos. Tufts scored all four goals in the second quarter and the first two of the third quarter, taking a 10-4 lead. Tommy Swank scored three goals in the run, with Charlie Tagliaferri, Kyle Adelmann and Cam Delcristo each chipping in one.
Tufts took a 13-6 lead when Kevin Christmas deposited his only goal of the game with 4:20 left in the third quarter, but RIT didn’t go quietly. The Tigers closed on a 5-2 run but ultimately couldn’t get the offense going consistently enough in the fourth quarter.
Tufts outshot RIT 61-39 and caused fits for the Tigers on the clear (26-for-33). Overall, there were 44 combined turnovers in the game (24 by RIT).
SALISBURY 12, CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT 8
Make it an even 20 title game appearances for Salisbury after Sunday’s 12-8 win over Christopher Newport.
Like Tufts in the other semifinal, a big run in the middle of the game was enough for Salisbury to withstand a late push from the Captains. Christopher Newport led 3-2 after the first quarter, but Salisbury responded with seven of the next eight goals — a streak that run through Braden Glushakow’s goal with 13:18 left in the fourth quarter.
Up 9-4, Salisbury allowed three in a row to CNU — one each from Brett Jackson, Drew Miller and Andrew Cook — before erasing that spurt with three of its own. Cross Ferrara bookended a Jack Dowd goal to make it 12-7.
Salisbury last played Tufts on May 21, 2022, in the NCAA quarterfinals and lost 17-10.
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Twice is nice for RIT men’s lacrosse champions
May 29, 2022
The RIT men’s lacrosse team has done it again. The team won its second-straight NCAA Division III national title on May 29, beating Union College 12-10.
Josh Boland
Tiger fans were subdued in the first half but picked up enthusiasm as RIT tied it up in the third quarter.
“There are only six programs that have ever won back-to-back championships, so it is a really special moment for this team, for our program, and the university,” said Head Coach Jake Coon. “It was a great year. We love playing for RIT. It’s a special place.”
This was the lacrosse team’s fourth national championship appearance, advancing to the final game in 2013, 2017, and 2021. Last year, RIT beat Salisbury in a double overtime thriller to clinch the university’s first-ever national title in lacrosse.
This year, the game in East Hartford, Conn., was a different story.
Union, which made its first appearance in a championship game, jumped out to an early 7-2 lead, but the Tigers cut the lead to three at the half. RIT continued the rally in the third quarter, took the lead, and kept it until the end.
Game coverage
Get the full game coverage from RIT Athletics.
“To be honest, it is hard to put into words,” said Team Captain Quinn Commandant ’22 (finance) about the championship. “It was hard to put into words last year; it is just as hard this year. It feels incredible. It is unbelievable.”
Joe Loffredo, RIT associate vice president for Academic Affairs and registrar, said the crowd in Connecticut rallied with the team. Tiger fans were subdued in the first half but picked up enthusiasm as RIT tied it up in the third quarter.
“It is fantastic to see RIT win a second championship,” said Loffredo, adding that there were high fives with every goal. “I was not able to go last year, so this is extra special to be here.”
Celebrate the team
RIT will celebrate the champions at 11 a.
m. on Tuesday, May 31, outside the Student Alumni Union. The campus community is invited.
Adam Platzer, assistant vice president for College Advancement, also was in the stands. Platzer, who played lacrosse from 1997 to 2000, said it was great to see the number of alumni who came out to support the team.
“RIT was already considered to be a great program, but two championships show they are the best,” Platzer said. “Coaches Jake Coon and Shawn Wilkins built this.”
Jackie Nicholson, RIT Executive Director of Athletics, congratulated the team and its coaches on their victory.
“We are so proud of our men’s lacrosse team for winning back-to-back national championships,” she said. “Given the challenges over the last two years, this is truly a monumental moment for these young men and our coaching staff.”
Nicholson said she wants to thank the many supporters of lacrosse and the alumni who laid the foundation for success. “These student-athletes—past and present—represent athletics and our university in the very best way.
”
Men’s lacrosse isn’t the only RIT sport to have won a national championship. The men’s hockey team won a Division II national championship in 1983 and a Division III crown in 1985. The women’s hockey team won a Division III national championship in 2012.
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The Russian Foreign Ministry called the incident in Salisbury a stunt by the British government
Not even the most acidic screenwriter of the most lame spy films would have thought of what happened in the quiet provincial British town of Salisbury a year ago and is still going on. The story of the poisoning of the ex-colonel of the GRU and his daughter turned from a tragedy into a tragic farce, which seems to reflect the entire set of vices of people and states. However, we will never know the whole truth.
On March 4, 2018, Sergei Skripal, a former GRU colonel convicted in Russia for espionage and long ago exchanged, and his daughter Yulia, a Moscow resident visiting her father, were found unconscious on a bench in the center of Salisbury.
According to the British authorities, Skripal was poisoned by Russian spies, GRU agents with documents in the name of Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov. Moreover, they were poisoned not by anything, but by the banned military chemical substance Novichok, brought in a bottle of Nina Ricci perfume. According to an investigation by The Bellingcat and The Insider, the real names of these people are Mishkin and Chepiga. Then the British authorities began to declare a “third Russian” allegedly involved in the poisoning: a certain doctor-curator of the operation.
Moscow denied everything and demanded that the British authorities conduct a comprehensive investigation into the attack on Russian citizens. The Russian Embassy in the UK issued a report with questions to the British side, and the Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday called the year-old incident a stunt by the British authorities. Questions remained unanswered – Britain refuses to allow Russian diplomats to the Skripals and to allow Russia to participate in the investigation.
At the same time, the British authorities themselves do not officially advertise the details of the investigation and do not raise the issue of extradition of the suspects, motivating their position by the fact that Russia will not extradite them anyway. It is difficult to argue with this, but such a position allows you to put forward any anti-Russian versions.
The poisoning happened in the midst of a furious Brexit debate in the UK (which has not yet resulted in a final deal with the EU) and a week before the Russian presidential election. In addition, Russia was to host the World Cup.
As a result, all parties were able to benefit from PR on this story. Russia got a reason to accuse Britain and, more broadly, the West of bouts of spy mania and paranoid Russophobia. At the same time, this did not affect the presidential elections in Russia, except for a slight increase in turnout relative to forecasts. Britain used the poisoning as an excuse for new anti-Russian sanctions.
They were introduced by the EU and the USA. It came to a diplomatic war – more than 20 countries expelled Russian diplomats because of the “Skripal case”, Russia responded with mirror measures against diplomats from these countries. The World Cup was not taken away from Russia, and it held the best tournament in history: this is exactly the opinion expressed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino the other day. The England team did not boycott this championship, as some British politicians called for, and took an honorable fourth place in it.
A year later, the story, which began as a tragedy, looks like a tragic farce with elements of a black comedy.
20-year-old Evan Hope (I really feel sorry for him), the son of a 44-year-old British woman, Don Sturgess, who died from the effects of Novichok, wrote a letter to Russian President Putin. This was reported by the Sunday Mirror newspaper. “The British police believe that at least two people are responsible for the death of my mother, but it seems that they are under the protection of your state.
I appeal to you as a person – allow me to interrogate these people. My mother deserves justice, ”the publication quotes him. Boyfriend Sturgess gave her a bottle of perfume found shortly before the incident on the street, which turned out to be fatal. Prior to that, Hope had approached President Trump to “ask Vladimir Putin to help investigate the Helsinki summit.” British Prime Minister Theresa May visited Salisbury on Monday, the anniversary of the Skripal poisoning.
Nobody in Russia knows where Sergei Skripal and his daughter are, what condition they are in, whether they are alive.
They don’t get in touch. The motives for which Russia would suddenly need to persecute Skripal, and even in such an exotic way, are also unknown.
Skripal’s mother still does not know about his poisoning at all – the old woman is not told about it, and she apparently does not watch TV and does not read newspapers. But on the other hand, she filed a statement with the police so that he was recognized as “missing.
” This will allow the old woman to get an apartment, a car and … a dog belonging to Sergei Skripal. Skripal’s niece Victoria is actively promoting poisoning. She did not get out of the TV show on the main TV channels for months and even tried to make a political career. In September 2018, she unsuccessfully ran for deputies of the Yaroslavl Regional Duma. By the way, memes and arguments immediately appeared in Russia that Boshirov and Petrov should urgently get into the State Duma. But so far we have no deputies Petrov, Boshirov, Mishkin and Chepiga.
September 13, 2018 – exactly the day after the announcement of the Russian president that we found Petrov and Boshirov, that they are civilians, not guilty of anything, can get in touch and tell everything themselves – this sweet couple really went to connection. Yes, not with anyone, but personally with the editor-in-chief of the main Russian TV channel for foreign audiences. These two inconspicuous men gave a crumpled interview that will undoubtedly go down in the history of journalism.
Their answers to direct questions exceeded the wildest expectations of the most ardent dreamers. This interview called not even a wave, but a real tsunami of laughter and memes in Russia and in the world. With difficulty choosing words (speaking to the camera is clearly not their profession), Petrov and Boshirov said that they have a small sports nutrition business, that they love to travel around Europe and that they passionately wanted to see “the famous spire of Salisbury Cathedral.” From this interview, it turned out that we were not dealing with GRU agents, but with a romantic same-sex couple of harsh, but at the same time gentle, shy, vulnerable men.
After that interview, the couple did not appear in public space. But now a professor at Moscow State University, a veteran of the Russian special services, a political scientist Andrei Manoilo, has come up with the idea to hold the first “Skripalevsky Readings” with the participation of Petrov and Boshirov in the bowels of the university.
Manoilo told the radio station “Moscow speaking” about this. True, at the university they disowned the readings, although the public managed to believe it.
Viktor Shenderovich, based on a sensational interview, wrote the play “See Salisbury”, where “Petrov” and “Boshirov” are really a couple of lovers, who later decides that in Russia it is “more profitable”, more honorable and safer to be scouts-poisoners than same-sex partners .
Salisbury gained worldwide fame – however, the tourist flow fell, but the local authorities refused to answer the consumer’s request and conduct excursions “to the places of the Skripals”. But in vain, it could well replenish the city treasury.
The British media continue to describe not the Salisbury story itself, but the accompanying stories in the spirit of a thriller. Then the local tabloids are trying to accuse of espionage, more than 30 years ago, the current Russian ambassador to the United Kingdom, Alexander Yakovenko. Then the respectable The Guardian publishes a text stating that the inhabitants of Salisbury still live in fear of a possible repetition of a chemical attack.
They are frightened by any sounds of a passing ambulance. Children are afraid to sit on benches in the city park. “Before, we struggled to explain to people where Salisbury is. We said next to Stonehenge. Now the whole world knows us, ”says one of the heroes of this text.
The word “Novichok” in Russian no longer seems to mean someone who has just taken a job. “Salisbury Cathedral” (not to mention its spire) became known to millions of Russians and the whole world. Big politics, sanctions, the division of an apartment, cars and dogs, laughter and sin – all this is the “case of the Skripals”. Leaks of the investigation in Britain are like a soap opera with many passing lines, where the story of the main characters can no longer be pulled into a full-fledged action, but behind the screen of their names you can still get viewers. True, according to the laws of the television genre, it is time to either shake up such a series with the sudden appearance of old heroes, or slowly cover it up.
On the anniversary of the incident, again, a knowledgeable source of the British The Guardian talks about the study by the special services of “feverish activity” in the area of the Russian embassy on the day of the poisoning of the Skripals and immediately after. Of course, no specifics are given – it is very likely that it will follow later. For now, the press is left to guess. Were they delivering poison directly to the embassy? Bought new furniture? Getting ready for a party on the occasion of March 8? What was it?
As a result, a year later, only some “insignificant” details of this epic epic series that have become part of world politics are unknown: who, with what and why poisoned Sergei Skripal and his daughter. However, this seems to be of no interest to anyone …
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