HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College men's lacrosse team (8-1, 1-0 CC) opened Centennial Conference play with a dominant 19-7 victory over McDaniel under the lights at Swan Field on Friday evening.
Haverford's 8-1 start is the best start to a campaign in program history.
Matt Richards shined against the Green Terror, recording a season-high nine points on six goals and three assists. Philip Passalaqua had an outstanding offensive performance as well for the Fords, tallying two goals and a team-high five assists. On the defensive end, Ronan West had a stellar performance as the Reigning USILA Team of the Week member caused five turnovers and scooped up eight ground balls, while Jacob Abraham turned away seven of 11 shots faced. Drew Buck was strong in the faceoff circle, going 17-for-25 and collecting a team-high eight ground balls.
The first quarter was all Haverford, as Evan Wolpert opened the scoring with an unassisted goal at the 12:21 mark to kick off the Fords' high-scoring night. Just three seconds later, a Richards goal off a feed from Buck extended the lead to 2-0. Additional goals from JT Anderson (9:27) and Will Weinstein (3:08) gave the Scarlet and Black a comfortable 4-0 cushion heading into the second quarter.
McDaniel responded early in the second period, as Aidan Skelly scored just 54 seconds in, followed by a player-up goal at the 12:20 mark to cut the Haverford lead to 4-2. However, the Fords answered with a 5-0 scoring run. Two goals from Richards, along with tallies from D'Andre Chaney, Passalaqua, and Wolpert, sent Haverford into halftime with a commanding 9-2 lead.
The Fords continued their offensive onslaught in the second half. Richards added two more goals, and Buck scored a spectacular goal to extend the lead to 12-2 at the 12:29 mark of the third quarter. Nick Wingo pulled one back for McDaniel at 11:12, but Weinstein's second goal of the contest pushed the lead back to 10, making it 13-3 with 8:14 remaining in the third.
Jason Fritz added a goal for the Green Terror with 7:51 left in the quarter, but Haverford answered with goals from Chaney and Braeden Hulett to close the frame with a 15-4 advantage.
Richards and Passalaqua opened the fourth quarter with a goal each, extending Haverford's lead to 17-4. Fritz notched his second goal of the game for McDaniel at the 9:09 mark, but Ethan Waugh (5:48) and Roan Spencer (man-up, 4:20) added the Fords' final two goals of the night. McDaniel's Carter Youtz and Brexton Carter each found the back of the net late, but time ultimately ran out on the Green Terror as Haverford secured a convincing 19-7 victory.
The Fords will return to action on Wednesday, March 26, to face Centennial Conference rival Franklin & Marshall. The highly anticipated matchup at Shadek Stadium is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.