CHESTERTOWN, Md. – Haverford College's field hockey team earned a Centennial Conference victory Wednesday night by downing host Washington College, 5-3, behind goals from four different players including a pair from Jen DiMaria.
The Fords (8-6, 4-4 CC) broke out to a 3-0 lead over the Shorewomen (3-10, 2-6) in first-half action, then built the advantage to 5-1 before Washington picked up two late goals to threaten the outcome.
Meg Holt finished off a barrage in the early minutes by Haverford -- which registered the opening six shots of the game including Holt's tally -- with an unassisted goal in the eighth minute, banging home a rebound off a shot by DiMaria that was initially saved by Washington goalkeeper Stephanie Harryman.
DiMaria notched the second marker of the contest, deflecting in a crossing pass from Nicole Witte in the 20th minute. The advantage grew to 3-0 four minutes later when Allison Martin rocketed home an insertion pass off a penalty corner from Catherine Aronowitz.
Washington was able to finally get on the board shortly after coming out of the break as Jennifer Tordella poked in a loose ball past Haverford net minder Lindsey Lopes after a previous shot had been blocked by a defender.
The Shorewomen tried to rally with continued offensive pressure but a counter-attack midway through the half by the Fords resulted in the first of two quick scores.
Bryn Bissey deflected in a DiMaria pass at 51:51 and then DiMaria knocked in her second of the game, coming off a set-up by Martin, only 1:49 later.
The 5-1 lead seemed safe but Washington's attack began to generate consecutive penalty corner opportunities which finally resulted in goals less than three minutes apart to trim the Haverford lead to 5-3.
The Fords fought off the desparate Shorewomen, who were eliminated from Centennial playoff contention with the loss, over the final 10 minutes including one final penalty corner with no time remaining on the clock.
DiMaria's two goals were her seventh and eighth of the year. Bissey's marker was her seventh, Holt's her sixth, and Martin's her second.
Lopes earned the win behind the pads making five saves while Harryman took the loss after registering 10 saves.
The Haverford victory moves the Fords into sixth place within the league standings, one spot back from the final playoff spot currently held by Johns Hopkins University which lost to Haverford two weeks ago.
The Fords will continue their playoff push Saturday at home against local rival Swarthmore College in a 1 p.m. match-up at Swan Field.