VICTOR, N.Y. - The Haverford College men's lacrosse team (0-1) opened its 2025 season with a hard-fought 9-7 loss to No. 14 St. John Fisher (1-0) in what is believed to be the program's first-ever indoor game. The contest took place Saturday at Pinnacle Athletic Campus and Events Center in the Rochester, N.Y., area, minutes from the St. John Fisher campus.
The Fords started strong, taking an early lead and keeping pace with the nationally ranked Cardinals throughout the game. Senior Matt Richards led the attack with three goals and an assist, while Philip Passalaqua added a goal and two assists. Senior Drew Buck was dominant at the faceoff X, winning 11 of 18 draws in an impressive season opener while collecting a team-high nine ground balls. Senior goalkeeper Jacob Abraham made 14 saves on 44 shots faced. Ronan West contributed a goal, two caused turnovers, and three ground balls in a well-rounded effort.
Haverford led 3-2 after the first quarter, with goals from Richards, Evan Wolpert, and West. The Fords struck twice within an 11-second span, momentarily stunning the Cardinals before the hosts responded with goals from Braeden McNeill and Nick Hauman to even the score. Jonathan Moon then found the back of the net off a Passalaqua assist, giving Haverford the edge after the opening period.
The teams continued trading goals in the second quarter. Richards provided Haverford's second two-goal cushion of the afternoon early in the frame off a feed from D'Andre Chaney. St. John Fisher answered with back-to-back goals to tie it up before Richards struck again, briefly restoring Haverford's lead heading into halftime at 5-4.
The Cardinals gained momentum in the third quarter, scoring twice while limiting Haverford's offensive chances. Wolpert tied the game at 6-6 with 5:38 left in the period, and Passalaqua put the Fords ahead yet again just before the buzzer, finishing a setup from Chaney to make it 7-6 heading into the final frame.
The fourth quarter proved decisive, as St. John Fisher mounted a three-goal run while holding Haverford scoreless. Jordan Leuze tied the game in the opening minutes before Ethan Hodge netted a shorthanded goal following an unnecessary roughness penalty on Garrin Dougherty. Ethan Kesselring added insurance at the 8:13 mark.
Haverford continued to press, generating late scoring chances with shots from Wolpert, Richards, and Passalaqua after Sean McHugh secured a crucial ground ball with five minutes remaining. Abraham kept the Fords within striking distance with a key save at the 2:32 mark, but the Cardinals managed the clock effectively to secure the win.
Despite the loss, Haverford showed great promise against a nationally ranked opponent, controlling the ground balls 28-18 while matching the Cardinals with 44 shots. The Fords will look to bounce back in their home opener. Men's Lacrosse returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 19, when they host Arcadia at Swan Field. Faceoff is set for 7 p.m. under the lights.
