HAVERFORD, Pa. - Bridget Gibbons' third goal of the game (video) provided the winning tally for 14th-ranked Haverford College in its 3-2 overtime win over visiting Johns Hopkins University in Centennial Conference field hockey action Saturday afternoon at Swan Field.
Gibbons' winner came just 55 seconds into the overtime period after she had pulled Haverford (9-4, 4-2 Centennial) even with Hopkins (6-7, 3-3) at 2-2 with 10 minutes remaining in regulation time.
The Fords owned a 1-0 lead entering halftime on Gibbons' third goal of the year, an unassisted marker midway through the 27th minute. However, a Blue Jays flurry erased the deficit and gave the visitors the lead within a span of 2 minutes and 29 seconds midway through the second-half.
Shannon Parker knocked home a loose ball in front of the Haverford goal at the 48:12 mark to knot the score at 1-1, then Maggie Phillips found a rebound and bounced a shot past Haverford goalie Sydney Hyder to push the Blue Jays in front in the 51st minute.
Trailing for the first time in the game, Haverford picked up its pressure and finally got the tying goal from Gibbons as the clock ticked past the 60-minute mark. The senior midfielder grabbed a loose ball six yards out from the left post and launched a shot over Hopkins netminder Elizabeth Peinjenburg.
The game-winner came from Gibbons off a cross from Bryn Bissey who slipped a pass from the right to Gibbons' stick for the hat trick and her fifth goal of the year.
Haverford, other than Hopkins' two-goal flurry, maintained an edge in pressure throughout the game and finished with a 12-6 edge in shots on goal and 13-9 advantage in penalty corner opportunities.
Hyder (8-4) earned the win in goal for Haverford making nine saves while Peinjenburg took the loss after finishing with four saves.
Next up for the Fords is a short trip up the Main Line to Bryn Mawr College where the Fords will take on the Owls in a conference game Thursday at 4:30 p.m.