Game brief
Who said that host, No. 6 UMass, lacked any tennis etiquette? In most game contexts, a 12-point margin over any weaker prey is nothing but rude, however, the Minutemen did graciously extend a short-lived, courtesy, 2-point early lead at the top of the first quarter to No. 18 Brown. The fourth quarter pyrotechnics show by the pine ponies was a clear indication that UMass consistently controlled the tempo and momentum of the game. Defensively, UMass’ ride was tight and offensively, the Minutemen were relentless. Three different Minutemen posted hat tricks: Sophomore Gene Tundo (Orchard Park, NY), Sophomore Ryan Connolly (North Andover, MA), and Freshman Sean Morris (Marshfield, MA). Brown Senior Jonathan Thompson contributed for half of Brown’s 6-goal output. The Bears had 30 shots on goal.

Head-to-head
No. 6 UMass defeated No. 18 Brown 15-14 in 2002. The Minutemen lead the series 22-18-1. Coming into Saturday’s match up, Brown had only one game after posting a .500 season last year (7-7). They beat Vermont 7-6 in OT. The Bears did however make it to the Ivy League Final game and challenged Princeton, ultimately losing the game 10-12. Twenty-eight letter winners have returned to the squad with the only key loss being New England Player of the Year Jimmy Mormile.

UMass on the other hand is riding high off of a three-game winning streak. The last win for the Minutemen included an exciting 10-9 win over Navy. While UMass entered the game as a favorite, the Bears were expected to provide at minimum, a decent challenge.

Statistical review
Shots on goal: Brown (30), UMass (49). Saves: Brown (13), UMass (12), Faceoffs: Brown (16/26), UMass (10/26), Grounders: Brown (33), UMass, (32), Clears: Brown (19/27), UMass (27/29), EMO: Brown (2/5), UMass (2/4).

Game detail
Senior Kevin Leveille (Albany Academy, NY) was the first to get a good look at the net, but his shot hit off the pipe. It was Brown however that was the first to convert and light up the boards at 8:56. John Urquhart (Fairfield College Prep, CT) scored on a righty stickside high shot from a topside roll dodge. Urquhart was unassisted and gave Brown 1-0. Less than two minutes later, the Bears capitalized on an EMO. Sophomore Christopher Mucciolo (Manhasset, NY) dished off to Senior Jonathon Thompson (North Yarmouth Academy, ME). Thompson fired past the D-man’s shoulder as the 1-slide came too late (2-0) at 6:45. The Minutemen finally closed the Brown drip on the faucet and scored four unanswered goals in the last three minutes of the quarter. UMass’ Jeff Zywicki nailed Leveille who then rifled a righty side arm crank (1-2) at 2:22. Sophomore Gene Tundo scored the equalizer on transition off yet another pass from Zywicki (2-2) at 2:09. Tundo scored on the repeat for the lead with a quick roll dodge off a grounder pick up in the hole. Tundo shot low offside at 1:00 (3-2). Nine seconds later, Zywicki firmly punctuated the quarter with a quick stick off an assist from Leveille (4-2). The D-slide left a lane open for Zywicki.

It took Brown ten minutes into the second quarter to score their only goal of the period despite being two men up at 12:06. UMass outshot Brown 6-1 in the second. Freshman and Rutgers transfer Sean Morris logged in another solid performance for the day. Morris scored after the intial shot was saved and rolled the ball in elevating UMass by three (5-2) at 10:31. Teammate and Junior Neil Lundberg (Birm. Seaholm, MI) scored one minute later when he took the D high to low on the double and snaked inside with the roll (6-2) at 9:28. Tundo notched a hat trick at 7:48 with a dip n’ dunk of a grounder from a rebound (7-2) at 7:48. Lundberg scored again as he caught the ball back handed mid roll dodge and shot stickside low (8-2) at 5:31. Brown finally responded with an unassisted goal from All-American Thompson at 5:24 (3-8). Offensively, Brown turned over the ball with the mere sound of steps. This team seemed very different than the team who played in the Ivy final against Princeton last year. UMass’ Zywicki received from Freshman Steven Byrnes (Mahopac, NY) on the fast break. Zywicki faked left and went behind the back when the keeper took a step (9-3). Morris sealed the second quarter with a stickside high shot off a high fake with :25 seconds left. Freshman Tony Ventiquattro (Carthage Central, NY) is credited with the assist.

The third quarter was more even in terms of output. UMass outscored Brown 4-3. Minutemen Senior Chris Fiore (Freeport, NY) was the first to light up the boards at the top of the third as he faked high and hit mesh at 13:45 of another assist from Zywicki, his third (11-3). Brown retaliated with two goals back to back. Senior Matt Winkler (West Islip, NY) found the back of the goal with an outside crank (4-11) at 8:03. Teammate Jonathon Thompson slipped one past keeper Bill Schell’s shoulder off a pass from Junior Richard Tuohey (Gilman, MD) at 5:49 (5-11). UMass responded with two goals. Sophomore Chris Doyle scored unassisted on an overhand shot that hit stickside high (12-5) at 5:01. Sophomore Ryan Connolly (North Andover, MA) fired a lefty on the run (13-5) nearly two minutes later. Sophomore Chazz Woodson (St. George, VA) scored Brown’s last goal of the contest at 2:33 (6-13). Woodson nailed an off-balance side arm just a couple of step inside the restraining box. UMass closed out the third quarter with a goal from Leveille assisted by Ventiquattro. Leveille fake from the outside, pulled the keeper out of position and stuck it (14-6) at :24. Brown was immediately called for unnecessary roughness :25.

UMass held Brown scoreless in the fourth quarter. Fiore scored from Zywicki on an EMO at 14:41 (15-6). Six minutes later, Tundo found Morris open for the shot (16-6). Connolly scored the remaining two goals of the game. His first was unassisted at 5:41 and the second Freshman Craig Boaman (Beverly, MA) hit Connolly on the three-touch fast break.

Final score UMass 18, Brown 6.

No. 6 UMass hosts Albany 18 March at 15:00.

Thanks to rik for the sweet photos.