Tufts University defeated Delaware 27-17 in the first game of the Liberty Challenge on Saturday at Fairfield University's Rafferty Stadium in Fairfield, CT.

Using a smart field-position game, the Jumbos were able to pin the Blue Hens deep in their end and forced mistakes that led to two early tries. Delaware came back to tie it, but Tufts used aggressive defensive pressure and good physicality in the interior channels to pull away for the win.

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"We gave up too many penalties," Tufts coach Thomas Clark said. "So we made it hard ourselves at times. But we have a team of a lot of sophomores, and that's why we moved up to this level. We knew we'd have the players for a few years."

Flyhalf Jake Garrell enjoyed a solid game while directing the Tufts attack. In the forwards, David Alvarez and Cormac McAdams (prop and flanker) set the tone up front.

Delaware was hampered by some injuries and unavailabilities in the backs, and it showed in the team's decision-making — opting too often to sell the dummy and cut back inside instead of testing Tufts out wide.