In a clash between two of the nation's top-ranked lacrosse programs, Delbarton Lacrosse lived up to the challenge, defeating Malvern Prep (PA) 12–11 on a rainy Saturday afternoon.
Tied 1–1 after the first quarter, Delbarton began to find its rhythm in the second, fueled by a four-goal surge that gave them a 5–3 halftime advantage. Alex Schobel scored for the 2-1 advantage a man up, and Kane Quenault followed immediately, winning the faceoff and taking it to the house for a 3-1 lead. Malvern Prep answered back, tying the score 3-3 with two straight goals after the Quenault goal, however, Delbarton would bounce back, scoring two straight for a 5-3 halftime lead, thanks to goals by Andrew Johnson and James Falk.
The third quarter, Delbarton pulled away more, as James Olsen scored twice to make it 7-3 to open the quarter. After a Friar goal, Jack Sheridan scored to bring the lead to 8-4. Malvern stayed with Delbarton all game, scoring two goals again to make it 8-6. Andrew Johnson would help rebuild a 3 goal lead in the 4th, making it 9-6 with his second goal of the game. A Malvern goal made it 9-7, but Delbarton would put the foot on the gas with goals by Chase Houser (2) and Brandon Fodor to build the 12-8 lead with just a few minutes remaining. The Friars would make it interesting, scoring 3 goals in just over a minute left, but Tanner Shimko would stand tall at the end, making one last save to secure the victory for the Green Wave.
Despite playing without two key offensive contributors — Gavin Romweber and Pierce Bolger — Delbarton's depth proved critical. James Olsen led the way with a hat trick, while Chase Houser and Andrew Johnson each chipped in three points apiece (Houser with 2 goals and 1 assist, Johnson with 2 goals). Brandon Fodor provided a strong two-way performance, scoring once and adding two assists.
In goal, Tanner Shimko made eight saves to secure the win for Delbarton, even as Malvern Prep pressed hard in the final possessions.
Christian Troczynski and Philip Minardo anchored the faceoff effort, combining for 13 wins, a critical factor in disrupting Malvern's offensive flow.
The win pushes Delbarton to an impressive 9–1 record on the season, further solidifying their standing among the nation's elite lacrosse programs.
Delbarton heads on the road once more for two games this week against Montclair and Chaminade, before opening their Morris County title defense. The team returns home for regular season action on May 20 against Bernards.
