THE BASICS:
 
- Score: No. 1 MIT 12, No. 4 Babson College 10
 
- Records: MIT (15-0); Babson (8-9)
 
- Location: Cambridge, Mass. (Roberts Field at Steinbrenner Stadium)
 
- The Lead: Two goals midway through the fourth quarter created some breathing room as nationally-ranked No. 14 and top-seeded MIT defeated No. 4 seed Babson College, 12-10, in the semifinals of the NEWMAC Men's Lacrosse Tournament on Wednesday night. Graduate student Ryan Gebhardt (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) produced four goals for the Engineers, helping him become the all-time career goals leader across all three NCAA divisions as he eclipsed the mark of 284 established by Brent Thomas from New England College in 2000. Colt Bordonaro led the Beavers' balanced attack with two goals and an assist.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
- MIT senior Gavin Vandenberg (Elmhurst, Ill.) earned the first of five assists when he set up sophomore Heath Nilsen (Carlsbad, Calif.) after 1:28 elapsed. Babson quickly tied the game courtesy of a solo effort from Matt Stucchi. A defensive battle ensued until the Engineers rattled off four unanswered goals. Highlights included junior long-stick defender Chris Perrino (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) earning an assist on a goal by fellow long-stick defender sophomore Luke Chapman (Houston, Texas) as well as Gebhardt scoring back-to-back goals with the second being the record-breaker. Babson ended its scoring drought when Bordonaro found the back of the net with 1:37 left in the quarter.
 
- The Beavers carried the momentum into the second quarter as they outscored MIT, 3-0, and knotted the game at five. Stucchi, Lee Sipes, and Sammy Kalishman accounted for each of Babson's goals.
 
- The visitors inched ahead when Chi Chi Price registered a man-down goal early in the third quarter. The Engineers used goals from Nilsen and first-year Dylan Nelson (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.) to take a 7-6 edge at the 7:59 mark. However, Babson countered with goals from Robert Wilson and Emmett Martin to reclaim the lead. MIT responded with a blast by Nelson, resulting in an 8-8 deadlock at the end of the frame
 
- Gebhardt gave the Engineers a one-goal edge exactly 11 seconds after the opening faceoff, but Bordonaro buried the equalizer with 10:36 on the clock. Gebhardt put MIT back in front, 10-9, at the 8:51 mark and after winning the resulting faceoff, first-year Matthew Sardis (Bernardsville, N.J.) found Nilsen for what proved to be the game-winning goal.
 
- The Beavers cut their deficit in half when Price redirected a feed from Bordonaro with 5:14 left to play, however, senior Andy Shin (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) buried an insurance goal on a pass from Vandenberg with 3:24 to go. Following an exchange of possessions, Babson turned the ball over with 1:08 remaining and MIT was able to run out the clock.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
 
- Senior Ben Dwyer (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) generated six groundballs and two caused turnovers as Perrino notched three groundballs and two caused turnovers. Sardis won 14 of his 26 faceoff attempts and collected 10 groundballs while senior goalie Lukas Drexler-Bruce (Denver, Colo.) made seven saves.
 
- Stucchi and Price both had two goals as Brendan Maher contributed three groundballs and two caused turnovers. Jared Lucich was 8-of-15 in faceoffs and recorded three groundballs. In net, Mac Mowat amassed 21 saves.
 
- MIT is currently ranked 14^th in the USILA/Dynamic Coaches Poll, 19^th in the Inside Lacrosse Poll, and 12^th in the Nike/USA Lacrosse Magazine Poll.
 
- In addition to being the Division III career goals leader, Gebhardt's current tally of 287 surpasses the Division I record of 221 and the Division II record of 259. A 2021 graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology, he generated 198 goals in four seasons with the Ducks. Gebhardt also tallied his 100^th point of the season on 78 goals and 22 assists.
 
UP NEXT:
 
- Appearing in the program's first NEWMAC Championship, MIT will host No. 3 Springfield College on Saturday, May 7 at 1:00 p.m.
 
STAY CONNECTED:
 
- For the latest on MIT Athletics, follow the Engineers via social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
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