HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College men's lacrosse team allowed just one second half goal as Dylan Slack made a career-high 20 saves in net to stifle Stockton's attack in a 9-3 Fords victory. Haverford scored the final five goals of the contest, including three on man-up chances in the fourth quarter to pull away during the second half of play.
The Fords received two goal games from Stephen DeLeo, Isaac Krier, and Ben Frost to pace the attack. DeLeo also added two assists as he had a hand in each of the game's first four goals, while Rob McLallen (two assists) and Patrick Girard (one goal, one assist) also had multi-point nights for the Fords. Stockton outshot the Fords by a slight 34-31 margin, but those 20 saves from Slack denied any thoughts of an Osprey comeback under the lights of Swan Field.
It was a low scoring first half with the teams tied at one after the first quarter. The Ospreys got on the board first, but Ben Frost answered less than two minutes later to tie the game off an assist from DeLeo. DeLeo also set up Krier's first man-up goal of the night just 1:04 into the second half. Nevertheless, this time Stockton answered with a goal just over a minute later to knot the game at one. However, the Fords would carry the lead into the half as DeLeo scored his first of two goals with just 1:44 remaining in the first half as the shot clock was winding down.
Stockton never led for the rest of the night as DeLeo was back on the attack at the 7:32 mark of the third quarter for his fifth goal of the season after recording a hat trick in the win at Eastern. DeLeo's four points tied his career high which he first reached at Washington College during the 2017 season. Stockton was once again quick to answer, making the score 3-2, but first year Brian Geffroy's first career goal set the score at 5-3 heading into the final quarter. Noah Hollander was credited with his third assist of the season on that goal. Slack made eight of his 20 saves during the third quarter as the Fords began to finally put away.
The Ospreys were whistled for 12 total penalties on Wednesday night, eight of which came in the final period. Twice the visitors went two men down and each time Haverford made them pay as the Fords went 3-for-5 on man-up chances during the final 15 minutes.
Jack Sollee scored the second straight game to get the fourth started as he tallied an unassisted goal. Ben Frost scored his second of the night and fourth of the season with 5:48 remaining in regulation as Girard fed him. Just over a minute after Frost's second goal, Krier tallied his second of the night and fifth on the year on another man-up chance as McLallen tallied his third assist of the season. Each of the Fords' first three goals in the fourth came on man-up chances. After setting up Frost earlier in the quarter, the roles were reversed on the game's final goal which came at the 1:47 mark of the final period as Girard scored his fourth goal of the season off a pass from Frost who finished with three points on the night.
Haverford's defense caused 12 of Stockton's 14 turnovers on the night. Chandler Todd helped his side get the possession back for the Fords on four of those as he also collected three ground balls. Max Ellis and Justin Brendel also forced a pair of Osprey giveaways. In addition to his 20 saves, Slack picked up a team-high seven ground balls, while Ellis added five more to the winning effort. As a team, the Fords held a 32-28 ground ball advantage.
Men's lacrosse will head out on the road this Saturday for a neutral site game against Randolph-Macon. That contest is scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. face off and will be played at The Gilman School in Baltimore, Md.