GLENSIDE, Pa. – The Arcadia University men's lacrosse team returned home Wednesday afternoon for a midweek nonconference contest against Haverford College. The Knights (1-1) dropped a 13-9 decision to the Fords despite a balanced offensive effort.
Reilly Robichaud recorded a hat trick to lead Arcadia. AJ Laibach and Tristan Johnson each added two goals, while Jack Keenan and TJ Shillingford rounded out the scoring. The Knights controlled the faceoff battle, winning 13 of 25 draws. Colin Brockman went 10 for 15 at the X, and Darian Good secured the other three wins.
Arcadia carried early momentum, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. Haverford capitalized with a goal as time expired in the opening frame, sending the Knights into the second quarter with a 4-3 advantage. Arcadia scored twice in the second, but the Fords evened the score at 6-6 heading into halftime. After the break, Haverford outscored the Knights 4-0 in the third quarter to take a 10-6 lead into the final period. Arcadia netted three fourth-quarter goals, but the comeback fell short as the Fords secured the 13-9 victory.
Haverford held the edge in total shots (44-36) and shots on goal (27-16). The Fords also narrowly led in ground balls, 43-41. Arcadia converted both of its extra-man opportunities (2 for 2) and limited Haverford to 1 for 5 with the man advantage. Senior goalkeeper Nate Hudgins made 14 saves in the loss and moved to 1-1 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Although Haverford won the opening faceoff, Will Kazmierski quickly caused a turnover. On the Knights' first offensive possession, Robichaud scored at the 12:50 mark of the first quarter.
• Arcadia capitalized on a faceoff violation, and Tristan Johnson finished a left-handed shot off an assist from Dylan Garber to make it 2-0.
• Less than a minute later, TJ Shillingford extended the lead to 3-0 off an assist from Jack Keenan before the Fords registered a shot.
• Haverford responded with back-to-back goals, the first coming at the 7:38 mark of the quarter.
• Robichaud halted the run with his second goal, finishing another feed from Garber to give Arcadia a 4-2 advantage with under four minutes remaining in the first.
• The Fords scored as time expired in the opening quarter to trim the deficit to 4-3.
• Early in the second, Haverford tied the game at 4-4 and later took its first lead of the contest at the 7:38 mark. Laibach answered a minute later to even the score. Johnson then netted his second goal off another assist from Garber to restore the Knights' lead.
• With under two minutes left in the half, Haverford found the equalizer, sending the teams into halftime tied at 6-6.
• The third quarter belonged to the Fords, who scored four unanswered goals to take a 10-6 lead into the fourth.
• Ninety seconds into the final frame, Haverford extended its lead to 11-6. Keenan and Laibach responded with consecutive goals, with Laibach converting a power-play opportunity off an assist from Anthony Mangini.
• After a miscommunication on a clear led to an empty-net goal for Haverford, making it 12-8 with 6:17 remaining.
• Robichaud completed his hat trick on a man-up goal off a feed from Mangini with under six minutes to play.
• Haverford added one final goal in the closing minutes to seal the 13-9 decision.
KNIGHT LEADERS
Goals: Robichaud (3), Laibach (2), Johnson (2)
Assists: Garber (3), Mangini (2), Keenan (1)
Points: Robichaud (3), Garber (3), Mangini (2), Keenan (2), Laibach (2), Johnson (2)
Shots: Sean Perkinson (8), Robichaud (5), Johnson (4)
Ground Balls: Hudgins (6), Kazmierski (5), Brockman (4)
Caused Turnovers: Hudgins (2), Kazmierski (1), Alden Cathey (1), Aidan Higgins (1), Ryan Clark (1), Keenan (1)
Saves: Hudgins (14)
UP NEXT
The Knights hit the road for the first time this season Saturday when they travel to Susquehanna for a nonconference matchup against the River Hawks. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
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