The school year has ended, and so has the spring sports season. As always, the lacrosse team was a dominant force, earning the right to be called the back-to-back undefeated Inter-Ac champion.
As the team reflects on its season of triumphs and camaraderie, their dedication and unity shine through in every game. The team spent hours on both ends of the field, day and night, working to get to where they are now. Like the adage “iron sharpens iron,” the high-intensity reps of offense versus defense proved helpful in the end-game, as the team was nearly impeccable in each performance.
“The team put in a lot of hard work, and through that hard work we all got better and bonded as a team, which in turn made us comfortable to play in those high-stakes games,” said Fifth Form defenseman Kellen Gardner. “It’s exciting, thinking about being a freshman, new to the school, and just like that I’m stepping into the seniors’ role. It’s crazy how fast it went by, but it is also exciting knowing that not just me, but everyone else in the [junior] class on the team, gets to step into a similar role.”
Gardner also recently received the honor of wearing #10 for both the football and lacrosse teams in memory of Kip Taviano ’13. “Kip-Tav, it means a lot. It’s a huge honor, and that every time you put on a Haverford jersey, it’s bigger than yourself because you playing for all the alumni and all those that came before you, and being able to wear #10 and play for Kip, it’s a lot more. Watching all the guys who came before me were great leaders—it makes me excited,” Gardner said.
“Good communication is the most important part of a defense.”
Brody Murphy ’24
Gardner, who will attend Notre Dame in the fall of 2025, was one of three Fifth Form defenders —joined by Duke recruit Gavin Cooper and University of Pennsylvania recruit Charlie Halpert – who stepped up this year, creating an impenetrable wall around the net. The team’s defense helped it stay in games when things got streaky and will be a key piece moving forward into next season.
No defense is complete without a goalie, however, and when injuries arose, Sixth Former Brody Murphy was ready to step up. The goalie has been a critical reason that the team posted an undefeated Inter-Ac record each of the last two seasons. He averaged nearly ten saves per game this season, with a save percentage close to .600.
“Good communication is the most important part of a defense,” Murphy said. “Without talking to each other, no one would know what was going on, and everyone would be confused, and it would be a lot harder to play good defense.”
Head coach and assistant athletic director Brendan Dawson said, “The best part of Brody’s game, from my perspective, is his poise. He never gets rattled and is always in the moment. It’s been a pleasure to coach him.”
