HAVERFORD, Pa.--Eastern University Men's Lacrosse jumped to a 7-1 first-quarter lead, but the Haverford College Fords did not go away quietly. Eastern held on for an 11-8 victory.

David Darling had a six-point game for the Eagles, recording three goals and three assists. Kyle Gillam, Grant Ferguson and Bryan Goetz each scored twice. Desmond Decker and Tim Lamb scored once.

The Eagles struck first with Ferguson netting an unassisted goal halfway through the first quarter. Ferguson who scored again in the second quarter, now has 195 career points, two short of tying Chris Farrar for the all-time lead at Eastern. Lamb made it a 2-0 game just 28 seconds later after receiving a feed from Darling and scoring his first goal of the season. Darling tallied his first of the game a minute later after grabbing a ground ball off a Ferguson missed shot. He finished with five ground balls.

Darling then created his own opportunity with three minutes left in the quarter. He caused Haverford faceoff man Andrew Dalke to turn the ball over and then picked up the ground ball. Darling took it to the cage and finished his second goal of the game.

Eastern's 5-0 lead forced a Haverford timeout, but the results continued in Eastern's favor. Decker scored with 1:58 left and Goetz scored with 1:05 remaining upping Eastern's lead to 7-0. 

Haverford finally got on the board with 21 ticks left in the quarter. The Fords won the second quarter 4-2, including a goal just 36 seconds before halftime that made it a 9-5 game. Haverford continued to creep closer, scoring with 8:32 to go in the third. What had once been a blowout was now a 9-6 game.

Goetz and Gillam gave the Eagles some breathing room with shots ripped in from above the crease. Gillam's goal was right near the end of an extra-man opportunity. The Eagles closed out the third quarter up 11-7 and that score held for almost the rest of the game. The Fords tacked on an ineffective goal with 10 seconds left.

Eagles' goalie Nick DiPiano recorded 13 saves in the win. Eastern senior defenders Jordan Norris and Mark Cyron each had five ground balls and four caused turnovers. Freshman substitute defender Kadeem Colburn recorded four ground balls and three caused turnovers.

Matt Lee won 12-of-21 faceoffs for the Eagles. 

The Eagles improved to 2-0 with the win. They play at home on Wednesday against Aurora University at 3 p.m.

Box Score