BABSON PARK, Mass.—Sophomore Sam Sisk (Madison, Conn.) produced two goals and three assists and 12 different players scored at least one goal as second-seeded Babson College defeated third-seeded MIT, 17-13, in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) men's lacrosse tournament semifinal Thursday evening at MacDowell Field.

With the victory, the Beavers improve to 12-5 overall and advance to their third straight NEWMAC championship game. MIT had a two-game winning streak snapped and completes its season at 7-8.

Graduate student Jacob Tauss (San Marcos, Calif.) led the Beavers with three goals, sophomores Andrew Berardi (Orleans, Mass.) and Camden Matthews (Westford, Mass.) added two goals each, and classmate Seamus Rooney (Bay Shore, N.Y.), junior Bennett Smith (Lake Oswego, Ore.) and graduate student Topher Bower (Chicago, Ill.) chipped in with a goal and an assist apiece. Junior Will Reading (Southlake, Texas) won a career-high 23 faceoffs on 31 attempts and scooped up a career-high 12 ground balls, senior Gavin Bailey (Hinsdale, Ill.) caused two turnovers and collected a career-high eight ground balls, and senior Alex Fascilla (Huntington, N.Y.) finished with 10 saves to earn the win in goal.

Junior Garrett Campagna (Lancaster, Pa.) tallied a game-high seven points on four goals and three assists for the Engineers, and senior Nick Stiles (New Canaan, Conn.) contributed three goals in the setback. Junior Bryce Metalios (Riverside, Fla.) scored two goals, classmate CJ Sanchez (New Rochelle, N.Y.) had a goal and two assists, and first-year Riley Pierce (Vestavia, Ala.) added a goal and an assist. Grad student Andrew Palleiko (Hopkinton, Mass.) picked up five ground balls and junior Collin Lung (Lynbrook, N.Y.) made seven saves in the MIT goal.

After junior Zach Bleil (New Canaan, Conn.) put the first goal on the board for MIT to open the game, the teams proceeded to alternate four goals each the next 10 minutes. Sisk scored twice for the Beavers and Tauss and graduate student Sammy Kalishman (Clarksville, Md.) potted one each, while Campagna converted two and Pierce and Stiles one each for the Engineers. Metalios scored his first of the game with 34 seconds left in the quarter to give the upset-minded Engineers a 6-4 lead after one.

The second quarter went a long way in determining the outcome as Babson outscored MIT 6-0 in the frame to take a 10-6 lead at the half. Berardi scored twice in the surge, and Matthews, sophomore Rowan Mondello (Wakefield, Mass.), Bower and graduate student Tripp Clark (Byfield, Mass.) had the others while Sisk and Rooney had assists.

Tauss extended the Babson lead to 11-6 to open the third quarter, but MIT came alive with back-to-back man-up goals by graduate student Jack McCordic (Medfield, Mass.) and Stiles to close the gap. Smith and Rooney answered for the Beavers to give the hosts a 13-8 margin heading into the fourth quarter.

The teams went back to alternating again as Babson scored goals in the final frame by sophomore Ryan St. Onge (Avon, Conn.), Matthews, sophomore Cooper Chapman (Hingham, Mass.) and Tauss, and MIT answered each time on goals by Campagna, Stiles, Campagna, and Sanchez, the latter coming with just 2:56 remaining. Metalios tacked on a man-up goal with 2:13 to play but the Beavers held on for the win.

Babson had a huge 23-10 advantage in face-off wins and won the ground ball battle, 44-30. The Beavers also outshot the Engineers 48-37.

The Green and White will travel to top-seeded Springfield for the NEWMAC final on Saturday at 1 p.m.  on Stagg Field.

GAME NOTES
• Babson has won 14 of the last 17 games against the Engineers and is 35-16 all-time against MIT in a series that dates back to 1978.
• The Beavers are 9-1 at home this season and 18-1 at MacDowell Field since the start of last season.
• The Green and White are 9-1 this season and 24-2 over the last two seasons when winning at least half the faceoffs. 
• Babson will be looking to avenge a 9-6 loss at Springfield back on March 15 in Saturday's championship game.