CARLISLE, Pa. – Saturday's Centennial Conference men's lacrosse match-up went down to the wire but Haverford College's Fords fell just short of pulling off the upset as host and second-ranked Dickinson College held on for a 9-8 victory at Biddle Field.
Haverford (4-6, 1-3 CC) scored the first and last goals of the game against the nationally-ranked Red Devils (10-0, 3-0) but the Fords' final rallying attempt was short-circuited by a caused turnover with 10 seconds remaining in the game.
Henry Millson netted the game's opening tally with a man-up goal at the 13:23 mark of the first period, taking a feed from Dan LoSardo and burying a shot behind Dickinson goalie Greg Hanly to give the underdog Fords the early lead.
The one-goal advantage remained in Haverford's favor until late in the first when Dickinson scored four straight goals in a span of 99 seconds. Not to be out done, the Fords answered back with three straight markers to forge a 4-4 tie early in the second.
Christian Clay ended the unanswered string one minute after the fourth Dickinson marker in the first with his 20th of the year. Geoff Geppert closed out the period notching a goal with 38 seconds on the clock to pull Haverford within one, and Millson completed the streak with an unassisted goal at the 6:38 mark of the second.
Each team would score once more before halftime as the combatants headed to the intermission knotted at 5-5.
Though only two goals were scored in the third period, that 15-minute stretch likely turned the game for the home team as the Red Devils scored both of the markers turning the fourth period into a catch-up game for Haverford.
Each time the Fords would draw within one, Dickinson would answer to double the cushion back to two.
Jake Maldonado's goal, off a Millson assist, with 91 seconds remaining in the contest brought Haverford to within a goal, but a Peter Zouck caused turnover and ground ball pickup on the Fords' final clearing attempt in the waning seconds allowed the host Red Devils to escape with the narrow victory.
Geppert led the Haverford attack with three goals and an assist while Clay and Millson added two apiece. Goalie Eric Caliendo stood strong between the pipes and finished with 12 saves including five in the second period alone.
Dickinson's Brian Cannon led all scorers on the day with four goals and two assists. Hanley earned the win in goal for Dickinson with seven saves.
The Fords are back in action Wednesday evening at Swan Field where Muhlenberg College will visit for a 7 p.m. Centennial contest.