Sports
Marple Newtown Suffers a Tough Loss to Lower Merion
Although the Tigers lose to the Aces in Tuesday's lacrosse game 8-4, Marple Newtown has a solid goalie to build around in Ian Callahan.
NEWTOWN SQUARE–Dave Jones knows it’s going to be a process in getting the boys’ lacrosse team to reach respectability. The program has undergone a number of changes and many different coaches in recent years, and Jones would like to add some stability.
What he’s found first, it seems, is a goalie. Sophomore Ian Callahan has been a shining light in what has been a trying season. If not for the 5-foot-7-inch sophomore, the Tigers may have been devoured by far worse scores than they have lost by on May 3.
On Tuesday, after the Tigers struck out to a 1-0 lead, Lower Merion put a torrent of pressure on Marple Newtown to turn around the course of the game. But the Tigers couldn’t keep Lower Merion away all night, eventually losing 8-4 in a Central League game.
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The loss dropped Marple Newtown to 4-9 overall and 1-7 in the Central League, while the victory gave the Aces a 5-9 overall mark and a 2-6 in the league. Lower Merion was led by three goals from Cooper Eisenhard, and two goals each from Chris Daly and Desmond Ellis.
Marple Newtown received two goals from Ted Oleynick and one goal each from Cullen Scott and Evan Aigeldiner.
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But a key factor in keeping the game competitive was Callahan, who during one stretch in the second quarter made four-straight saves, and in another 30-second sequence in the third quarter steered away three more shots.
“We had a problem doing the little things tonight, and it caught up to us,” Jones said. “When you hold most teams to eight goals, you have a shot to win. We couldn’t pull it all together. But we’re trying to build here, looking at a bigger picture, and Ian is certainly a big part of that. We have ‘Player of the Week’ and ‘Tiger of the Day’ and Ian’s won a lot of them. He’s on track to be our defensive player of the year. He’s been amazing.”
Callahan has reached a comfort zone against some of the best teams in the Central League, which are also among some of the best in the state. He’s adjusted to the speed of the game, and maintains a fresh attitude.
“I don’t think about the saves, I don’t like getting scored on,” Callahan said. “I try to keep it all in perspective and out the goals behind me. I move on, and don’t dwell on it. I don’t think about the stops, just the goals.”
The boys will face Garnet Valley on Thursday.
