MEDFORD, MA – 20th-ranked and regional host Tufts University edged the University of Rochester men's soccer team 2-1 in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament on Sunday afternoon at Bello Field.
 
Tufts (14-3-3) scored two goals in the game's opening 30 minutes and withstood a second half offensive charge from the Yellowjackets (9-3-6) to advance to the Sweet 16 of the national tournament for the ninth time in program history.
 
UR's goal came courtesy of Avi Lamba in the 71st minute with the Yellowjackets also earning several other chances late in the game looking for the equalizer, but the Jumbo defense held on for the one-goal win.
 
Rochester went toe-to-toe with the Jumbos for the first time since the two teams met in the NCAA Division III Final Four back in 2018, with Tufts emerging from that matchup with a 3-1 victory.
 
During Sunday's match, the Yellowjackets played even throughout the game, with the game finishing even in shots at 13-13. Rochester also held the corner kick advantage, taking nine corners to Tufts' six.
 
Rochester pressed immediately after the opening kickoff, earning a free kick deep in Tufts territory. Ashton Prescott took the set piece for the Yellowjackets and curled a strong ball into the box, but the Tufts keeper Nikola Antic leapt up and grabbed the ball.
 
The early offense continued for UR at the 11-minute mark when Nick Swanger took a hard left-footed curling strike from the edge of the 18 towards the left side, but Antic dove and make the save, keeping the game scoreless.
 
On the ensuing corner, Prescott sent another dangerous ball into the crease towards Jeremiah Anandarajah, but the junior defender couldn't control the header and sent it high.
 
Tufts broke through for the opening score in the 23rd minute. A long ball across the field led to a service from the right side into the box by Mateo Bargagna. In the front of the net, one UR defender was tasked marking a pair of Tufts attackers, with Liam Gerken leaping up and getting a head on the ball, directing it into the right side of the net for the 1-0 lead.
 
The lead doubled less than four minutes later when Sean Traynor redirected a skidding right wing pass in from Bargagna inside the far post.
 
Just before halftime, the Jumbos nearly made it 3-0, but following a long throw in, Taylor Feinberg's shot caromed off the right post.
 
In the second half, a long run up the right sideline resulted in another Tufts chance, but UR goalkeeper Santino Lupica-Tondo came up with one of his five saves on the day, denying Ethan Feigin a goal.
 
Another post benefitted Rochester in the 68th minute, as Henry Perkins hit the woodwork following a turnaround shot in space on the right side.
 
Two minutes later, the Yellowjackets trimmed the lead with Lamba recording his first score of the season. After Matt Cosentino sent a long ball into the box, Lamba attempted a turnaround volley but missed, settled the ball, and struck a shot towards the goal where it skimmed off a defender and found the back of the net on the right side.
 
The goal fueled the Rochester attack even further, with the Yellowjackets earning a free kick attempt from a dangerous spot along the left wing in the 75th minute.
 
Milos Bisenic launched the curling service into the box towards Santi Ponce Ocampo who had a flick header on target towards the right post, but Antic came up with a diving save to keep the Jumbos in the lead.
 
Swanger added a pair of golden chances in the 79th minute following a steal in the offensive zone, but again Antic came up with two big saves on the one-on-one breakaway opportunity.
 
Rochester earned a corner in the 86th minute in a last ditch effort for the equalizer, but Tufts cleared the ball away and was able to hold off the Yellowjackets over the course of the final four minutes.
 
UR's appearance in the NCAA's was the 22nd in program history and the ninth in the last 11 years.