Who will win the National Championship?

[The12lov3]

Last game of the 2023 season. Who do we think will win the 5th Championship matchup between these two teams? Series tied at 2-2.

[laxdad1434]

Salisbury

[D3 Fan]

Tufts leads series 3-2. 4 title tilts split evenly + Tufts 17 10 victory last year.

I love the Gulls but they better play a near perfect game or else the Jumbos could roll. Their style gives fits to the Gulls, as it does everyone else but if the Gulls have a good day in the cage and at the faceoff dot and can control pace of play they could pull it off. I personally think of the Gulls win this is one of Berkman's greatest masterpieces while if the Jumbos win, they just might be considered the greatest D-III team ever. I know that's high praise but having watched them play a few times, their overall level of dominance all over the field is borderline unbelievable. Best wishes to both teams!!

[Bigdawg69]

Tufts by 5+ and we will start the discussion on if 2023 tufts the best d3 team of all time

[The12lov3]

Tufts leads series 3-2. 4 title tilts split evenly + Tufts 17 10 victory last year.

I love the Gulls but they better play a near perfect game or else the Jumbos could roll. Their style gives fits to the Gulls, as it does everyone else but if the Gulls have a good day in the cage and at the faceoff dot and can control pace of play they could pull it off. I personally think of the Gulls win this is one of Berkman's greatest masterpieces while if the Jumbos win, they just might be considered the greatest D-III team ever. I know that's high praise but having watched them play a few times, their overall level of dominance all over the field is borderline unbelievable. Best wishes to both teams!!

The Gulls are a very dangerous team and this again will come down to execution. Both team made it to the final game because they have executed against their opponents. This is anyone's game. The key for the Jumbos is shutting down Cross Ferrara and Jude Brown like they did Pilcher on RIT. Those two attack-man have Walbaum and Adelmann written all over them. Saw the Seagulls play briefly against W&L and CNU and seemed to be a lot slower paced games than the run-gun that Tufts plays. RIT tried to slow the game down at times by running down the shot clock but that did not seem to be that effective since Tufts slides continuously forced them to take poor angle shots or turn the ball over. Hope we see a game like we did the in both semi-final games. Good for the sport.

[Nosey Ned]

I agree that everything points to a Tufts win by 4 or 5 goals. But crazier things have happened and I'm not about to just write off Coach Berkman and say he's "got NO shot". If anyone can devise a game plan to combat all that Tufts brings, it will be Coach B. He's not the best D3 coach of all time for no reason.

If Salisbury can somehow keep it within range starting the 4Q, who knows how any group of 20 year olds will react to the pressure that will then be building. Everyone is saying Tufts by a landslide, and just maybe the Jumbos may start believing they already played the National Championship.

You can dismiss Coach Berkman capabilities at your own peril ... but not me.

[ToastDunk]

The team KNOWING they will not only win, but destroy their opponent on Sunday will have the best chance of winning. Any doubts of winning, and you now face two opponents come game time.

[The12lov3]

I agree that everything points to a Tufts win by 4 or 5 goals. But crazier things have happened and I'm not about to just write off Coach Berkman and say he's "got NO shot". If anyone can devise a game plan to combat all that Tufts brings, it will be Coach B. He's not the best D3 coach of all time for no reason.

If Salisbury can somehow keep it within range starting the 4Q, who knows how any group of 20 year olds will react to the pressure that will then be building. Everyone is saying Tufts by a landslide, and just maybe the Jumbos may start believing they already played the National Championship.

You can dismiss Coach Berkman capabilities at your own peril ... but not me.

Berkman is a rockstar. He will have a plan for sure and it will be a good one. I hope it does not include putting a short stick on Swank. We saw how that worked against RIT. There were a lot of doubter including myself that D'Annolfo can't make the ajustments or come up with a game plan against the better teams but he through RIT for a loop yesterday by the ways he leverage Christmas and putting Boyden up top. The other that they did well was put a lot pressure on the middies in the middle of the field forcing them to move the ball outside resulting in poor angles shots. I have watched Tufts lacrosse for the better part of 30 years and this is by far their best team end to end they have ever had. Previous teams, even during the championship years between 2010 - 2015, had weaknesses but this team does not seem to have any. That being said, Salisbury deserves a lot of respect, is a great team, and capable of beating anyone at anytime. Good Luck to both teams. Should be an awesome game.

[Leonard Washington]

Salisbury

Currently 19-0 in the poll

Hope you are going to vote and give Salisbury their first one

[ergit]

Tufts by 5+ and we will start the discussion on if 2023 tufts the best d3 team of all time

How about they just try to win the game…

[kramerica.inc]

Tufts should roll the Gulls. Way more talented.
If the Gulls can keep it within 5, I'd be surprised.

[Slim]

Salisbury by 3. "If the Thunder don't get ya than the Lightning will!" No one can cover both Cross and Jude. They may shut one down, but the other will get ya. Berkman gets the elusive #13 finally. Go Gulls!

[Bigdawg69]

Salisbury by 3. "If the Thunder don't get ya than the Lightning will!" No one can cover both Cross and Jude. They may shut one down, but the other will get ya. Berkman gets the elusive #13 finally. Go Gulls!

Same could be said about the boyden bruun swank trio. And that’s before u worry about the midfield dodgers who are lights out as well. Best of luck

[Leonard Washington]

Tufts by 5+ and we will start the discussion on if 2023 tufts the best d3 team of all time

They could win by 10 and they still may not be considered the best D3 team of all time

[InsiderRoll]

Tufts by 5+ and we will start the discussion on if 2023 tufts the best d3 team of all time

They could win by 10 and they still may not be considered the best D3 team of all time

I’ve been around the game a long time. If they win, especially big, they are certainly in the discussion for one of the best teams of all time alongside several early 2000s Salisbury teams.

[Bigdawg69]

Tufts by 5+ and we will start the discussion on if 2023 tufts the best d3 team of all time

They could win by 10 and they still may not be considered the best D3 team of all time

I’ve been around the game a long time. If they win, especially big, they are certainly in the discussion for one of the best teams of all time alongside several early 2000s Salisbury teams.

Right? How can an undefeated national champion NESCAC team not be in the discussion

[The12lov3]

Salisbury by 3. "If the Thunder don't get ya than the Lightning will!" No one can cover both Cross and Jude. They may shut one down, but the other will get ya. Berkman gets the elusive #13 finally. Go Gulls!

You are under-estimating how good the Tufts defense is. They have the best trio of all their NC teams, not to mention two stud poles (and not 3) and a first team AA defense short stick. Salisbury will have their work cut out for them. Not saying that Salisbury will not score but it ain't going to be a cake walk. To beat Tufts, they will need to play an all around solid game with no lapses. Good Luck.

[Leonard Washington]

I’ve been around the game a long time. If they win, especially big, they are certainly in the discussion for one of the best teams of all time alongside several early 2000s Salisbury teams.

You aren't the only one. Aka been around this game for a long time. Tufts can only play who is (put) in front of them. Undefeated this year, doesn't necessarily (in my book) mean you are the all-time greatest team in D3, even if they beat (this year's) Salisbury team 21-11.

[Bigdawg69]

I’ve been around the game a long time. If they win, especially big, they are certainly in the discussion for one of the best teams of all time alongside several early 2000s Salisbury teams.

You aren't the only one. Aka been around this game for a long time. Tufts can only play who is (put) in front of them. Undefeated this year, doesn't necessarily (in my book) mean you are the all-time greatest team in D3, even if they beat (this year's) Salisbury team 21-11.

Which is why in my original post I said we will be having the discussion about it, not automatically crowning them

[LaxFan1991]

Tufts is the definition of classless, spoon fed and stuck up people. But they will definitely win.