COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Haverford College men's lacrosse team (1-4) dropped another close contest on the campus of Colorado College Tuesday, falling by a 7-6 final score to Kenyon College (4-0). After four periods of a defensive battle, and holding Kenyon scoreless for over 20 minutes in the second half, a late goal from the Owls put away the Fords in the final seconds.
Tyler Vendetti paced the Fords with a hat-trick on four shots while Reid Tietjen added two goals and scooped up two ground balls. Teddy Carlin went 6-of-12 on face-offs and finished the game with three ground balls. First-year Antonin Hoppmann-Salario was big on defense, causing a team-lead two turnovers, while Jacob Abraham recorded ten saves in the contest.
The first ten minutes went without a goal but one eventually came from Haverford's Reid Tietjen at the five-minute mark. Kenyon quickly tied the game up at the 3:43 mark but defense highlighted the first period with both teams being held to just one goal. Jacob Abraham made several saves in scenarios that certainly looked like a goal would be the result. However, Kenyon's goalkeeper performed just as well for his side.
In the second period, it looked as if both teams were in for another long scoring drought, until Tietjen netted his second goal of the game with 11 minutes remaining until halftime.
With Kenyon in possession, Samuel Millie, Nate Rose, and Buddy Pelish made it very difficult for Kenyon to get clean looks at the goal. With 9:53 on the clock and shooting out of desperation to get something on the board, Jack Giuffre took a shot from far out to beat Abraham to even the game at two-a-piece.
Unforced turnovers also contributed to the low-scoring affair. With 15 turnovers between the two teams, only four were caused. The Fords found it difficult to run their offense as Kenyon forced them to eat up much of the shot clock during their possessions.
Kenyon took their first lead of the game with two minutes to go until halftime thanks to a goal from Joe Boesel. Giuffre then doubled the lead just 40 seconds later. However,Vendetti got the Fords back within one at the brink of halftime.
Teddy Carlin, Matt Richards, and Jason Borsari led the charge of ground balls, each scooping two. Through two periods, just about every category was even, aside from the scoreline. It was anyone's game. It seemed could string together a run of goals first and was going to walk away the winner in such a defensive contest.
Unfortunately for the Fords, Kenyon did just that to start the second half. Goals from Giuffre and Colin McCarthy at the start of the third period increased the Owls' lead to three, making the score 6-3. The last bit of action came with the Fords eager to get back into the game. Drew Hoffman found space behind the net, shaking off a defender to find a cutting Richards who finished to bring the Fords back within two.
Holding possession to start the final period, Haverford got on the front foot early, scoring in the first 15 seconds. The Fords moved the ball around for a few seconds before Vendetti fired a shot past the goalie's right shoulder for his second goal of the game.
The Fords eventually tied the game with just eight minutes to play behind Vendetti's third goal of the contest. His goal came by way of a solo effort, outworking his defender to get a straight-on shot.
Danny Hoehler caused a Kenyon turnover after the Owls initially won the face-off. Haverford got three good shot attempts from Rose, Andrew Arth, and Tietjen but they all missed just wide. Abraham continued to make timely saves for the Fords in the fourth period. Through ten minutes in the period, Abraham recorded four saves, each one better than the previous. His efforts between the pipes kept the Owls scoreless from the 7:51 mark of the third period.
Kenyon called timeout with 1:29 remaining with hopes of scoring a game-winner. The Owls came out of the stoppage searching for a look on goal, but Haverford held them to a shot clock violation with 27 seconds left.
In a complete heartbreaker, the Fords were called for an offensive foul with possession and under 20 seconds remaining. Kenyon took over and raced down the field in the final seconds to score a goal, ending a 20-minute scoring drought with just seven seconds left, with the game-winner coming from the stalwart Giuffre.
Men's Lacrosse returns to the Keystone State on Saturday, March 11, when the Fords travel to Selinsgrove to take on Susquehanna. Game time is slated for 1 p.m.