Montclair, NJ – Defending national champion Tufts University scored two goals three minutes apart in the final 10 minutes of the game as the Jumbos rallied past Montclair State 3-2 in the second round of the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship at MSU Soccer Park on Sunday evening.

Daniel Sullivan and Connor Brown each scored as the Jumbos (11-4-3) kept their hopes alive for a second national title. Tufts advances to next weekend's Sectional Tournament where they will face either Kenyon University or University of Chicago.

Freshman MATT HENDRICKSON had a goal and assist for Montclair State, which finished the year at 19-3-1. The Red Hawks were making their 15^th appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament and its 10^th consecutive trip.

Tufts grabbed a 1-0 lead at the 26:27 mark of the first half. Off a free kick, Rui Pinheiro served a ball into the box that Conor Coleman got a head on which just eluded the outstretched arms of MSU keeper MIKE SAALFRANK. It was Coleman's second goal of the season.

Both teams would get chances to score following the opening goal. The Jumbos' Scott Greenwood picked off a curling shot by MIKE OLLA in the 31^st minute. Saalfrank then came up bit with two saves, the first against Monil Patel at 33:49 and the second a point-blank reaction save against Nathan Majumder inside the six.

The Red Hawks would tie the game with 1:37 to play in the period as Hendrickson drove toward the goal from the left side and was taken down. A penalty kick was awarded and Hendrickson made the most of the opportunity burying it into the back of the net for his 11^th of the year and a 1-1 tie.

Montclair would get a great chance to take the lead early in the second half as Olla got ahead of a defender and an on-rushing Greenwood. With the goal virtually open he tried to bicycle the kick in however the attempt went wide. Back the other way came Tufts which got a shot by Sullivan on the doorstep in the 52^nd minute however Saalfrank caught the attempt keeping the game knotted.

Three minutes later, MSU took the lead as Hendrickson drove in along the right side before slipping a pass to a streaking Olla at the near post. Olla was able to push the ball past Greenwood for the go-ahead goal as MSU led 2-1 with 35:58 to play.

The Red Hawks had a chance to push the lead further as Olla had a shot blocked inside the six. He would get the rebound and had Greenwood off his line however a Tufts defender blocked the rebound at the right post and a follow-up by Hendrickson was also deflected away by a defender, two plays that would later loom large.

In the 75^th minute, the Jumbos appeared to have tied the game as Patel slid a pass from left to right that Gaston Becherano buried into the back of the net. However, Tufts was ruled offsides.

The Jumbos would keep the pressure up in the final 10 minutes and got a corner kick with seven minute to play. Patel served the ball to the near post which Sullivan headed off the back post and in at 83:10 tying the contest. It took a little over three minutes for the Jumbos to take the lead. Becherano fired a pass over to Brown on the left wing. Brown corralled the ball and then let go of right-foot blast that arched perfectly into the upper right corner of the goal as Tufts led 3-2 with 3:40 to play.

The lead was nearly two as Kevin Halliday ripped a shot from 10-yards out with 1:23 to go that Saalfrank stopped allowing MS one last chance which it would get on a corner kick at 88:54. RAFAEL TERCI sent the ball into the box. Hendrickson was able to get off an attempt but it went high.

Greenwood finished with three saves for Tufts while Saalfrank stopped six for the Red Hawks. The Jumbos outshot MSU 17-14.