THE BASICS:
 
- Score: No. 15 MIT 16, Babson College 12
 
- Records: MIT (14-0, 6-0 NEWMAC); Babson (7-8, 3-3 NEWMAC)
 
- Location: Cambridge, Mass. (Roberts Field at Steinbrenner Stadium)
 
- The Lead: A five-goal run that spanned the second and third quarters gave nationally-ranked No. 15 MIT enough of a cushion as it went on to defeat Babson College, 16-12, in the final NEWMAC men's lacrosse game of the regular season on Saturday. This was the third time in program history and first since 1995 that the Engineers have gone undefeated during conference play. Graduate student Ryan Gebhardt (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) powered MIT with four goals and three assists while Chi Chi Price and Matt Stucchi both posted four points for the Beavers.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
- Gebhardt scored after 51 seconds elapsed, however, a defensive battle ensued until Emmett Martin broke through for Babson with 5:04 left in the opening quarter. Max Mallett quickly followed with a man-up goal that was set up by Peter Chisholm but sophomore Heath Nilsen (Carlsbad, Calif.) redirected a feed from senior Gavin Vandenberg (Elmhurst, Ill.) to even the score at two with 13 seconds remaining.
 
- The Beavers inched ahead courtesy of a blast by Connor Karsh just over five minutes into the second quarter. The Engineers replied with a goal from Gebhardt who then assisted on a goal by senior Liam Miller (Pasadena, Calif.), resulting in a 4-3 edge at the 8:28 mark. A solo effort by Price knotted the game with 4:54 on the clock, but MIT rattled off three goals to go into halftime with a 7-4 lead. First-year Dylan Nelson (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.) started the burst as Gebhardt earned assists on strikes by Vandenberg and first-year Nico Bowden (Concord, Mass.), the latter coming with five seconds left.
 
- The Engineers carried the momentum into the third quarter as Gebhardt and Vandenberg found the back of the net during the first 2:29 of action. Babson quickly cut its deficit in half (9-6) after Stucchi set up Price and then scored a man-up goal. Following eight minutes of scoreless play, Vandenberg ended the stalemate after he redirected a feed from Nilsen and then Gebhardt notched his fourth goal with 2:12 remaining. The Price-Stucchi tandem returned, narrowing the gap to 11-7 at the end of the frame.
 
- MIT established its largest lead of the day courtesy of goals by Nilsen and Miller early in the fourth quarter. The Beavers battled back, narrowing the gap to 13-10 with 6:16 left to play. Lee Sipes started the rally as Price and Martin notched goals in a span of 48 seconds. The Engineers responded with goals from Nilsen and Miller to create some breathing room before an exchange of goals closed out the game.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
 
- Vandenberg and Nilsen both posted three goals and one assist while Vandenberg added four groundballs. Senior Ben Dwyer (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) registered four caused turnovers and three groundballs as junior Chris Perrino (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) totaled three groundballs and three caused turnovers. First-year Matthew Sardis (Berndardsville, N.J.) won 15 of his 28 faceoff attempts and collected nine groundballs while Bowden notched four groundballs. In net, senior Lukas Drexler-Bruce (Denver, Colo.) collected 13 saves.
 
- Price finished with four goals and three groundballs while Stucchi produced one goal and three assists. Both Sipes and Sammy Kalishman had five groundballs as Brendan Maher recorded three groundballs and three caused turnovers. Jared Lucich won 14 of his 21 faceoff attempts and had four groundballs while Mac Mowat amassed 16 saves.
 
- MIT is currently ranked 15^th in the USILA/Dynamic Coaches Poll, 17^th in the Inside Lacrosse Poll, and 13^th in the Nike/USA Lacrosse Magazine Poll.
 
UP NEXT:
 
- As the No. 1 seed in the NEWMAC Tournament for the first time in program history, MIT will host either No. 4 Babson College or No. 5 Emerson College in a semifinal game on Wednesday, May 4 at 7:00 p.m.
 
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