MEDFORD, Mass. – The Union College men's lacrosse team hung with #1 Tufts University for much of the first three quarters, but the two-time defending national champions ran away in the fourth quarter to finish off a 22-10 win over the Garnet Chargers on Sunday afternoon at Bello Field.
 
Senior Walker Popko led Union (0-4) with three goals and an assist for four points, followed by first-year Garrett Salit with a goal and two helpers. Senior Emmett Lyne and sophomore Brendan Powers scored two goals each as well for the visitors, while sophomore Mac McGovern and first-year Hayden Caulkins both netted their first collegiate goals on the day.
 
Jack Regnery led Tufts (2-0) with four goals and four assists for eight points, followed by Brooks Hauser with a game-high five goals.
 
The Jumbos scored the first three goals of the game before Popko got the visitors on the board for the first time with 6:18 to go in the first. The teams alternated goals the rest of the frame as Tufts took a 5-2 lead.
 
Down 8-3 midway through the second stanza, Union used a 4-2 run to get back within striking distance at halftime. Salit scored from junior Mike Wall at the 8:31 mark to make it an 8-4 game, followed by a Powers tally to again get back within four with 5:16 left. After a Tufts tally with 2:21 on the clock, Popko found the net again with 90 seconds remaining and Lyne scored with just 11 ticks left to make it a 10-7 game at halftime.
 
The Garnet Chargers managed only three goals after halftime, however, as Tufts outscored Union by a 3-1 margin in the third quarter and then went on a 9-2 run over the final 15 minutes to stretch out the final margin.
 
Union got the better of Tufts at the faceoff X, as the tandem of senior Luke Tranter (18 of 32) and junior Ian Evans (2 of 4) combined to win 20 of the 36 draws. Tranter led all players with seven ground balls on the day.
 
Senior Chris Weitzel and junior Kyle Goodwin led the defensive effort with two ground balls and two caused turnovers apiece, while junior Nick Lynch made 15 saves between the pipes.
 
Union will return to action on Wednesday with a non-conference matchup at Williams College set for a 6:30 p.m. start in Williamstown.