NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA – It was not over until it was over when the Haverford School Fords’ lacrosse team traveled to take on the Episcopal Academy Churchmen Friday, May 11, 2018 in the regular season finale for both teams. Haverford and EA have a strong league rivalry and on this very comfortable Friday evening it was a wonderful opportunity to bring the school communities together.
The intensity continued to build until the end. Haverford held an 8-4 lead late in the third quarter but as the fourth quarter progressed, EA managed to tie the game and send it in to overtime. It did not take long, however, for senior attack TJ Malone to find the net off of an assist by junior midfielder Peter Garno and give the Fords a 9-8 victory.
“Peter drove really hard,” said Malone. “I snuck around my defenders and shot it. It’s a great feeling.”
EA secured a quick 2-0 lead as senior midfielder Chris McCoun scored twice in the first three minutes but Haverford settled down, played more physical and the Churchmen could not hang on.
EA vs. HAV - 50 Photos by EA Jr. Reporter Alexandra Conroy
EA vs. HAV -Photos by Alexandra Conroy
“It was physical between the lines,” said Episcopal Academy head coach Chris Bates. “It gave them the ball. Big leads slip away.”
Senior attack Scott Deck put his team on the board and Malone, Garno as well as senior attack Luke O’Grady and junior attack Adam Salvaggio both helped the Fords to a 6-4 halftime advantage.
Trailing by a score of 8-5 going in to the fourth quarter, EA fought back. Junior midfielder Rowan Brumbaugh tallied a goal 41 seconds in to the period. Sophomore attack Nick Bates cut the Ford’s lead to 8-7 with 4:50 on the clock. The Churchmen used a time out with 1:24 in regulation and sophomore attack Charlie Cunniffe registered the game-tying goal less than a minute later. EA called for another time out to determine how to get the game-winner but the clock expired.
Seven seconds in to overtime, Haverford took a time out and it proved to be the right thing to do at the right time. Twenty-one seconds after that, Malone was able to get past the EA defenders and so he enjoyed his shining moment and the Fords walked off of the field victorious.
“EA got off to an early start,” said Malone. “Possessing the ball was huge.”
Senior goalkeeper Harrison Fellheimer made seven saves for Haverford.
“Our defense does a good job holding them to the outside,” said Fellheimer. “I was ready. We kept our composure. We were able to stop them when we needed to.”
Leading the way for EA’s defense was sophomore goalkeeper Matt Chess (eight saves).
Matt Chess deflects a Haverford Goal - Video by EA Jr. Reporter Alexandra Conroy:
“He kept us in it,” said Coach Bates. “We had trouble clearing the ball. It gave them opportunities.”
Around the League: Episcopal Academy defeated Germantown Academy 10-6 and will advance to play the Haverford School in the semifinal round of the Inter-Ac Championship on Friday, May 15, at Cabrini College (6:00 PM). In other Inter-Ac playoff quarterfinal action, Penn Charter hosts Springside Chestnut Hill Academy on Wednesday, May 16, at 5:00 PM.
“It’s anybody’s game,” said Coach Bates. “It will be a fun tournament. They’re all Inter-Ac teams.”
“I feel like we are moving in the right direction,” said Fellheimer.
Haverford School earned a quarterfinal round bye in the tournament.
“We’re together for one more week,” said Haverford School head coach John Nostrant.