Tufts vs. Salisbury: Three things to watch
Salisbury and Tufts – the final two teams in the NCAA Division III Tournament – will represent different ends of the spectrum when they meet on Sunday at 12 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. The Sea Gulls, the No. 1 seed in the South region, will be making their 12th appearance in the championship final. The Jumbos, the No. 2 seed in the North region, are playing for the national title for the first time in the program’s history. So will Salisbury take home its ninth NCAA crown or will Tufts become only the eighth team to capture the championship since 1980?
1. One key to a Tufts win: The Jumbos (19-1) boast a prolific offense that leans on junior attackmen D.J. Hessler (36 goals and 50 assists) and Ryan Molloy (35, 29), but they will need another inspired performance by Steven Foglietta. The sophomore goalkeeper has compiled a .606 save percentage and has yet to surrender 10 goals in any of the three tournament games he has played thus far. If Foglietta can reach that 60 percent mark again, Tufts will be in good shape.
2. One key to a Salisbury win: The Sea Gulls (20-1) could use a breakout performance from sophomore midfielder Sam Bradman, who has recorded just four goals and two assists in three tournament contests. But even so, Bradman draws attention, and that will create scoring opportunities for his teammates. Senior attackman Mike Winter, senior attackman Jake DeLillo and sophomore attackman Matt Cannone have each led the team in scoring during the tournament, and they could play a significant role again on Sunday.
3. One key match-up: If the Jumbos harbor any hope of containing Salisbury’s high-octane offense, they have to avoid the penalty box. The Sea Gulls ranked second in the country in extra-man conversions, scoring 49 man-up goals on 112 opportunities (43.8 percent). Tufts isn’t exactly Swiss cheese in that department, stopping opponents on 78.3 percent (19-of-87) during man-down chances. But if the Jumbos get caught up in the emotion and can’t maintain their poise, it could be a long day for them and a celebratory one for Salisbury.
