BOSTON, Mass. (March 7, 2026) – UMass Boston men's lacrosse (2-0) delivered another convincing performance from James Cotter Field, using a red-hot second quarter and balanced team effort to defeat Nichols College (2-2), 18-9, in non-conference play.

How It Happened

UMass Boston opened the afternoon with immediate energy as Jack Schartner (Bolton, Mass.) struck just two minutes in to put the Beacons on the board. After Nichols briefly tied the game, Schartner added his second before Matt Hutchings (Mount Kisco, N.Y.) capped the first quarter with a goal for a 3-1 edge.

The Beacons took control in the second quarter, igniting a four-goal run in less than five minutes. Hutchings scored again off a feed from Tyler Hilgert (Guilford, Conn.), then Cole Allan (Falmouth, Maine) found the net twice—once on a setup from Hilgert and again from Matt Laverty (Barnstable, Mass.). The Beacons' defense forced turnovers and quickly transitioned into offense, with Jaden Cronin (East Bridgewater, Mass.) stretching the lead to 7-1. Nichols battled back, but timely goals from Hilgert and Hutchings gave UMass Boston a 10-4 advantage at the break.

The third quarter saw the Beacons surge even further ahead. Schartner completed his hat trick, then kept pouring it on with a pair of additional scores, finishing with five goals on the day. Allan remained a threat, netting two more in the frame, while Joesph McCullough (Waltham, Mass.) and Hank Alessandro (Barrington, R.I.) combined for a late tally as the Beacons led 16-5 after three quarters.

Though Nichols scored four times in the final quarter, UMass Boston maintained control of the game's pace and tempo. Cronin added his second of the game with a flashy double-pump shot, and Max White (Amesbury, Mass.) scored late off a feed from Brayden MacLean (Stow, Mass.) to seal the 18-9 victory.

Between the pipes for the Beacs, James Boldy (Wrentham, Mass.) made 14 saves to anchor the defense, and the Beacons' ride and transition play were relentless throughout.

Inside the Box Score

• The reigning Little East Conference Offensive Player of the Week, Jack Schartner led all scorers with five goals. He now leads the Beacons with nine goals in two games this season.
• Allan poured in four goals and added one assist for five points.
• Hilgert paced the offense with three assists and two goals, totaling five points.
• Hutchings finished with three goals and one assist.
• Boldy recorded 14 saves while allowing just five goals in his starting effort.
• The reigning LEC Defensive Player of the Week, Holden Kuzniar (Georgetown, Mass.) caused three turnovers and grabbed five ground balls to lead the defense.
• The Beacons forced 18 caused turnovers and won the ground ball battle, 42-34. - UMass Boston converted 26 of 31 clears for an 84 percent success rate and finished 1-for-4 on man-up opportunities.
• Beacons win 18-9 in front of 321 from the James Cotter Field for the 2026 season opener. 

Up Next

UMass Boston returns to James Cotter Field on Tuesday, March 10, to host the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Engineers at 3 p.m.

To stay up to date on all things UMass Boston Athletics, follow the Beacons on Instagram (@UMassBeacons) and X (@UMassBostonAthletics), and read the latest stories and updates at https://beaconsathletics.com.

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