Tying the game with four seconds left in regulation, the Jumbos go on to win their fifth NCAA championship
“How did we win? It was over, but these guys just keep believing and have so much trust in themselves, and so much quality,” said head coach Kyle Dezotell. Photo: Keith Lucas
Junior forward Xavier Canfin scored the biggest goal of his career 4:52 into overtime in the 2025 NCAA Division III men’s soccer title game, lifting the No. 1 Jumbos to the crown with a 2-1 win over Trinity University of Texas at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, on Dec. 7.
The championship is the fifth all-time in program history and first since the 2019 season, while the five titles are the second most in Division III history.
The game featured one of the most dramatic plays in Division III men’s soccer championship game history. With Trinity (20-2-1) leading with less than a minute to go, Tufts got a corner kick and was played into the box. Tufts got three shots that were all blocked, but the ball fell to senior Mateo Bargagna on the edge of the box with less than 10 seconds to play.
Bargagna ripped a left-footed rocket that blistered into the top left part of the net to deadlock the game with four seconds to play. The score was the latest goal netted in regulation in a NCAA Division III title game.
Soon after overtime began, the Jumbos were forced to defend a corner kick, but after Tufts cleared the ball out of the box, the loose ball fell to senior Mason Shultz on the right wing. He carried the ball 15 yards before playing it perfectly into the path of Canfin.
The NESCAC First Team striker then raced away from the lone Tiger defender back, and calmly slotted the shot into the right side of the goal to seal the thrilling win for the Jumbos.
From the Beginning
The Tigers took the lead in the opening half, a period that Trinity performed better in from the opening whistle. Trinity outshot Tufts 8-2 in the first 45 minutes, and got on the board in the 27th minute as Luke Chandler popped in a rebound of a Daniel Urquidi shot to take the lead.
The second half saw the Jumbos start to get a hold of the game, but Tigers goalkeeper Jayden Schell and his defense were stellar. In the 58th minute, Ellis Denby had a great attempt on goal, but Schell dove to his right to push away the ball safely.
Less than a minute later, Canfin got a pass from Denby and ripped a shot going to his right to the right of Schell, but the Tiger keeper was able to get a fingertip on the shot and hold on—and keep Tufts off the board.
Tufts tied the school record for wins in a season with 20, equaling the 2019 squad, while finishing with the second-most goals in a year in program history with 57. Photo: Keith Lucas
In the 85th minute, it looked like the Jumbos would level the game at a goal apiece as Canfin played a square ball to junior Henry Brown right in front. Brown had an empty net and his shot looked destined for the score, but a Tiger defender got his leg up just high enough to deflect the ball out for a corner kick.
Canfin continued to press and had a great chance in the 86th minute, but Schell was once again able to get enough of the shot to push it past the post for another corner kick.
In the waning moments, first-year Gianluca Fallone had an attempt that was cleared, while Ben Brown and Fallone each had attempts before the heroics by Bargagna.
“How did we win? It was over, but these guys just keep believing and have so much trust in themselves, and so much quality,” said head coach Kyle Dezotell.
Outshooting the Tigers
The championship is the second for the Jumbos in Salem, Virginia—Tufts won the national title back in 2016 inside Kerr Stadium with a 1-0 win over Calvin University.
The Jumbos outshot Trinity 19-15 for the game, including a 16-7 edge in the second half, while taking the only attempt in the overtime period. Tufts also had a 7-4 advantage in corner kicks, and finished with 21 fouls to 12 by the Tigers. The Jumbos were carded five times, including two to the bench.
Tufts’ junior Bijan Akhtarzandi-Das was named as the Defensive Most Outstanding Player for his play during the NCAA tournament, while Canfin was named the Offensive Most Outstanding Player. Graduate student Taylor Feinberg, Bargagna, and James Gunn also earned a spot on the NCAA All-Tournament Team.
Canfin led all players with five shots, including four in the final, and Ben Brown had three shots and one on net. Senior Nikola Antic made five saves in goal for the Jumbos, while Schell made seven stops for the Tigers.
Bargagna, Akhtarzandi-Das, Feinberg, and Brown played the entire 95 minutes of the game on defense for the Jumbos.
Tufts tied the school record for wins in a season with 20, equaling the 2019 squad, while finishing with the second-most goals in a year in program history with 57. The NCAA title is also the first for Dezotell, who came to Tufts during COVID-19 and now has a 69-10-23 record as the head coach of the Jumbos.
