HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College men's lacrosse team celebrated Senior Day with a thrilling contest against rival Swarthmore on Saturday. Unfortunately for the host Fords, a 5-2 fourth quarter in favor of the rival Garnet proved to be the difference in an 11-9 Swarthmore victory. Today's results also kept the Hood Trophy score tied at 8-8 heading into the final two events (m/w outdoor track & field) of the annual rivalry.
In a very balanced effort, each of Haverford's three starting attackers tallied multiple goal games. Senior Stephen DeLeo led the Fords in his home finale as he scored three goals and assisted on two more to finish his decorated career with 101 points. Fellow senior Garret Trucksess scored twice and assisted on two more while first-year Sean Mowatt-Larssen gave a glimpse into the future with another goal to finish the year with a team-best 28 goals. Senior Ben Frost also scored and assisted on a goal, while classmate Rob McLallen dished out his team-best 25th assist.
The Fords blitzed their rivals early as Mowatt-Larssen and Ben Fujinaga scored less than a minute apart to give the Fords a 2-0 lead less than three minutes into the game. Trucksess set up both of those opening goals. Mowatt-Larssen and Frost also scored later in the first quarter as Haverford held a 4-3 lead after 15 minutes. In a much more defensive second period, Trucksess finished a pass from his senior teammate as Haverford led 5-4 at the half.
Swarthmore took its first lead of the day early in the third quarter with a pair of back-to-back goals from DeLeo. DeLeo intercepted a Garnet pass and finished that quick reversal of fortune to knot the game at six. He also scored with four-tenths of a second remaining in the third quarter to give his side a 7-6 lead heading to the final quarter.
Haverford matched its game-high two goal lead at the 11:50 mark of the fourth quarter as the senior connection of Trucksess and McLallen made it 8-6. Nevertheless, the Garnet scored two straight to tie the game and finished the contest on a 5-1 run overall to capture the Centennial Conference victory.
Reigning Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week Ethan Donlon was once again solid in goal as he stopped 17 shots while Haverford's defense also made a team stop late in the fourth quarter with Donlon out of his crease as the Fords were double-teaming the ball to try and force a turnover and win the possession back. Also excelling on the defensive end were Jonathan Frost and Anthony Vizzoni as both Fords caused two turnovers. Vizzoni, Donlon, and Colby Ferrigno led Haverford with three ground balls.
With today's result, the Fords' 2019 campaign came to a close. In addition to DeLeo, Ben Frost, McLallen, and Trucksess who were mentioned above, the Fords also celebrated the careers of seniors Zack Cohen, Jake Ephron, Ben Forde, Will Fox, Quinn Glabicki, Han Mahle, Dylan Slack, and Ryan Tetro prior to Saturday's opening face-off.