Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/19/24
Staff Report
BALTIMORE – Michael Ortlieb scored five goals and Malvern Prep closed with a 5-1 run to defeat Haverford School, 9-6, today in the National final of the Victory Events National Prep Championship at Loyola University’s Ridley Complex.
The win gave the third-seeded Friars (21-3) their redemption after losing both Inter-Ac League games to the top-seeded Fords (20-2), who went undefeated in league play for the second straight year.
Haverford School seized a 5-4 lead early in the third quarter on a goal by freshman Conor Morsell. But Ortlieb took a feed from Ennis Udo to tie it, breaking a scoring drought of over `15 minutes for the Friars. Then Jake Bickel made it 6-5 and Malvern Prep never surrendered the lead.
“Something we preach as a team before every season is to win the last game,” said Malvern Prep senior LSM DiBartolomeo, who contributed four groundballs. “You always want to win the last game because you know it’s a championship.
“During the year we lost two close games (to Haverford) and we wanted one more shot at them. Obviously, this feels amazing – the whole team is super pumped.”
Tommy Tray stretched the advantage to 7-5 off an Owen Mears pass and after the Fords drew within 7-6 on a goal by Evan Large in the fourth period, Hagen McTear forced a turnover off a strong ride and hit Ortlieb for the 8-6 lead. Ortlieb clinched it later with his final tally.
“It’s a great experience for our seniors and for our team to come down to the national championship environment, playing a familiar foe in Haverford School in a different territory down here at Loyola,” said Malvern Prep coach Matt Mackrides. “I am super excited for them.”
Mackrides said the key was being resilient after Haverford took its 6-5 lead, and coming out strong to start the game.
“It’s been kind of a point of emphasis; we struggled early in the season coming out (in the start of games), but the last three or four weeks we have really turned it on in the first quarter,” he said. “We got up 4-2, but we know the sport of lacrosse has ups and downs and there was going to be a rally.
“We just had to be the one team that rallies the most and is on the upside at the end of the game.”
Nick Wehmeyer won 8 of 17 faceoffs and Heath Jones was the winning goalie with 5 saves. Udo had two assists while Jack Lehman had two groundballs.
Did Malvern Prep change anything for this matchup with Haverford School?
“There was nothing necessarily different,” said DiBartolomeo. “But we knew we had to play four quarters of lacrosse. Last time we didn’t come out too hot and we knew if we played a complete game, we’d win. We have the talent to beat anyone in the country.
“Coach (Paul) O’Grady had us in a zone most of the day, but it was an aggressive zone and it stalled them a little bit. The main thing was our aggressiveness and grit.”
The tourney featured six nationally ranked teams and included the two Inter-Ac powers for the first time since it evolved from the former Inter-Ac Challenge. Both Haverford and Malvern Prep entered play ranked among the top six teams in all national rankings.
“Nothing needed to be said to our guys,” said Mackrides about motivation for the game. “We lost the league championship to Haverford in two very competitive games in the regular season. Obviously, they are a really talented team and well coached and I have a ton of respect for coach (Brendan) Dawson their staff and their players.
“I know our players were ready to play.”
Udo and Mears also scored for the Friars. Finn Lawrence scored twice for the Fords while Aydan DiRocco and Jack Long each scored once.
“I think the senior leadership,” said DiBartolomeo. “All the seniors were very close and that leadership came down to the younger guys. That’s what really separates us; how close we are as a team. Some guys stay up until 8 p.m. at night practicing or staying together. We’re all buddies and that helps so much.”
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