HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College men's lacrosse team (5-6, 1-3 CC) could not complete a late-game comeback against Ursinus (5-6, 2-2 CC), suffering a 14-12 defeat at Swan Field. The Fords scored four unanswered goals to end the game, but time would eventually run out on the comeback bid.
Matt Richards led the Fords with three goals while adding one assist. Richards now has 18 goals and 11 assists after 11 total games played. Andrew Arth scored two goals on three attempts while registering two assists. Perhaps the top player for Haverford was in net. Jacob Abraham, whose record on the year stands at 2-3, recorded 22 saves out of the 36 shots he faced between the pipes.
The Fords scored the first goal of the game off the stick of Richards, as the first-year found an assist from Mychal West and finished for the early lead. Richards found the back of the net again, this time from Samuel Millie at the 12:41 mark, to make the score 2-0. Ursinus quickly climbed back into the game behind two goals from Jeremy Calabro to even the score. However, Haverford retook the lead at the 2:46 mark as Devin Lefkowitz scored on a solo effort, giving the Fords the lead going into the second period.
Both teams remained even in the second period. It was hard to determine who would take control of the game as the Fords and Bears scored three goals apiece. Ursinus' Jake Ojert tied the game at three before Richards answered, scoring his third goal of the game behind the assist from Gray Pollock. The teams continued to trade scores right up to the halftime whistle, as Haverford took a one-goal lead into the intermission. Sean Mowatt-Larssen and Arth scored the final two goals of the half for the Fords.
Ursinus' ability to hang around with the Fords paid off after the halftime break. The Bears outscored Haverford 5-1 in the third period. Arth scored the Fords' lone goal of the frame to tie the game at seven, but an onslaught of three unanswered goals in the final four minutes gave the Bears a three-goal cushion going into the last period of the game.
Calabro started the scoring for Ursinus, but Mowatt-Larssen answered one minute later. Ursinus then went on their second three-goal run for the game, making it difficult for Haverford to get anything out of the game. However, the Fords made one final push. With 6:49 left to play, Haverford knew it had to work fast as West made the Bears pay for their low-pressure defense. Nearly 40 seconds later, Brinster fired a shot past the goalie's right leg to get within four goals. Will Graves added himself to the scoresheet when he scored an unassisted goal with 3:10 remaining.
The final three minutes proved to be a battle of desperation as Ursinus focused on running out the clock. Haverford pulled one last goal back with ten seconds left with West scoring on an assist from Richards, but that ended the action. The Fords just left it a little too late.
Eric Dahlberg finished the game with a team-leading six ground balls. The junior also finished with three caused turnovers, tying for the team lead in that department with Max Elliott. Gray Pollock and Drew Buck finished the game with five ground balls. The Fords narrowly lost the turnover battle by a 15-to-14 margin but collected 38 ground balls compared to Ursinus' 30. Teddy Carlin and Buck were on face-off duty, finishing 6-14 and 10-14, respectively from the X.
Men's Lacrosse now looks to the weekend as it returns to action at home against Washington College, with a Saturday, April 16 contest against the Shoremen on Swan Field. Opening face-off is slated for 12 p.m.