Tufts Strikes Down NYU 12-10 to Advance to 2009 Division III Collegiate Club National Title Game

BRUNSWICK, Maine -- Benji Koltai (So., Beverly Hills, Calif.) scored a tournament high seven goals to earn Player of the Game honors and power the Tufts University Jumbos to a 12-10 victory over New York University in the semifinals of the 2009 Division III National Collegiate Club Championship on the campus of Bowdoin College. Courtesy the win, Tufts advances to face Monmouth College for the National Title at 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, November 8. 

The game was a showcase for Koltai who scored twice in the first, once in the second, twice in the third and twice in the fourth period to come up big for the Jumbos when it mattered most.

He struck first just 56 seconds into the game for a 1-0 lead and added his second score of the first period at the 1:03 mark for a 2-1 advantage as the teams ended the first seven minutes of play tied at 7-7.

Following back-to-back exclusion scores by Alex Strittmatter (So., Fairfield, Conn.) and Matthew Burke (Jr., Miami Beach, Fla.) at 5:36 and 4:24, respectively, of the second period to push the lead to 4-2, Mack Carlson (Sr., Santa Barbara, Calif.) struck for an even-strength score with 3:41 remaining in the half to push the margin to 5-2.  Koltai cushioned the lead further with 1:35 on the clock as he rifled a shot past NYU goalie Gleb Sidorkin (Gr., Novosibirsk, Russia) to give his team a 6-2 lead.

NYU trimmed the margin to three goals before halftime as Morgan Alcalay (Sr., Sacramento, Calif.) registered the first of two goals he would score on the day with seven seconds remaining in the first half to pull the Bobcats to within 6-3.

The lead never fell below three goals for the first five minutes of the third period as the teams traded goals with Tufts scoring to go up by four and NYU countering to slice the deficit back to three goals. 

Following a score by Zeke Abuhoff (Jr., Bristol, Conn.) to inch NYU to within 8-6 Koltai took over the game scoring back-to-back-to-back-to-back goals.

He started the scoring spree with 35 seconds left in the third period burying a shot to push the lead to 9-6 before connecting again with four ticks on the period clock to give the Jumbos a 10-6 lead at the end of 21-minutes of play.

In the fourth period, he blasted home shots at 4:39 and 2:43 to build the advantage to 12-6.

NYU attempted to rally back in the closing two minutes of play as Markus Quinn (Sr., Somers, N.Y.) tallied goals at 2:34, 1:42 and 34 seconds, while David Myre (Gr., Mercer Island, Wash.) chipped in a marker at 58 seconds, but the scoring of Koltai down the stretch and the Tufts' defense were too much to overcome as the Jumbos held on for the two-goal win.

In cage, Brian Canter (Jr., Willow Grove, Pa.) of Tufts and Sidorkin of NYU both tallied six saves.

NYU will conclude their participation at the 2009 Division III Club Tournament at 10:15 a.m. on November 8 as the Bobcats will meet Washington University (Mo.) in the third place game.

NYU Goals: David Myre (4); Markus Quinn (3); Morgan Alcalay (2); Zeke Abuhoff

Tufts Goals: Benji Koltai (7); Alex de Castro-Abeger (2); Matthew Burke; Mack Carlson; Alex Stritmatter

Saves: NYU - Gleb Sidorkin (6); Tufts - Brian Canter (6)

Exclusions: NYU - 2 ; Tufts - 7

Advantage Opportunities: NYU - 1-of-7 ; Tufts - 2-of-2