HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College men's lacrosse team opened up its 2016 season on Swan Field Saturday against No. 15 Cabrini. The Fords battled hard throughout the contest as the two sides were tied six-all in the cumulative first, third and fourth quarter scores. However, it was a 6-0 Cabrini edge in the second that proved to be the difference in the 12-6 defeat.
Six different players scored a goal in the home opener for Haverford. Freshman Ben Frost and sophomore Kevin Goshorn each had a goal and assist. Freshman Stephen DeLeo also had a goal in his Haverford debut while Rob McLallen recorded an assist. Each of the Fords' top returning offensive threats also got into the mix as Chase Williams, Isaac Krier and Patrick Girard scored on the afternoon. Cabrini was led by Jordan Krug's three-goal day, while the Cavaliers also got two goals from three other players.
In what has become the annual opening opponent for the Fords, Saturday's contest was an even battle statistically. Haverford won 11 of the 20 face offs that were contested with Zack Cohen winning eight of his 16 attempts before Brandon Smith won three of the final four starts. Cabrini held just a 36-35 edge in shots at the end of the game. However, it was Haverford that had the majority of the offensive action in the second half with a 21-12 shooting advantage in the final 30 minutes. Frost took a team-high nine shots for Haverford.
Eric Caliendo made 12 saves on the afternoon as he faced 24 shots on goal. Defensively, Haverford caused eight of Cabrini's 15 turnovers. Max Ellis led the team in that category with three caused giveaways. Haverford also had the edge in ground balls, a 33-27 advantage for the Fords over the course of the game. Fourteen different players picked up a ground ball, including a team-best four from PJ Jackson, Cohen, and Ellis.
Haverford held the lead on three separate occasions during the opening quarter. However, the Fords were answered each time. Goshorn got the season started right just over two minutes in with an unassisted goal. Haverford held that early 1-0 lead from nearly three minutes before Cabrini's first tally. The Fords also got goals from Krier and Frost that were just 45 seconds apart. Nevertheless, Cabrini managed to get one in between those quick strikes as the score was 3-2 at the end of the first quarter.
Cabrini evened the game for a third time with a goal just 40 seconds into quarter two. It would be nearly three minutes before Cabrini held its first lead of the afternoon. However, the Cavaliers went on to score four goals in the final six-plus minutes before the half to take an 8-3 lead.
Haverford converted its lone man-up goal to get the offense started in the third quarter as McLallen found Girard on the extra man chance. Cabrini then ran off three straight goals, but DeLeo took a pass from Goshorn in the final minute of the third quarter to set the score at 11-5 heading into the fourth quarter. Haverford's goal in the fourth quarter came as the clock expired with Frost setting up Williams to make the final a 12-6 Cabrini victory.
Men's lacrosse will be back at home next Sunday for a 1 p.m. contest against Randolph-Macon. That game will be the first meeting of the two programs in school history.