HAVERFORD, Pa. – Playing the first of two back-to-back contests at home on Swan Field, the Haverford field hockey team blasted past visiting Immaculata, 7-3, opening the offensive floodgates early in the contest and using a consistent, determined approach in the attacking third to come away with the victory. Junior Paige Powell netted a hat trick with first year Kelsey Chai also striking for a pair of goals in the victory. Haverford improves to 4-0 on the season while Immaculata falls to 2-2 in defeat.
Haverford built up an early advantage, scoring in the sixth and seventh minutes of action on back to back shot attempts. Powell found the back of the cage off a redirected pass from Mason McNulty and added a second as Paige Carson delivered a strong pass across the circle to the waiting stick of Powell, who was able to glide a shot past Might Macs keeper Randie Kuhar.
Chai got into the scoring action in the 11th minute after inserting on a penalty corner opportunity. The ball found the stick of Stephanie Terrell who fired a shot into the pads of Kuhar. The redirection bounced to Chai, who was in great position down low in front of the goal to hammer it in for a 3-0 lead, prompting a timeout from Immaculata.
In the 27th minute, Layne Kennedy got on the scoreboard after a penalty corner try led to an offensive chance on the far post, cutting the lead to just 3-1 in favor of the Fords.
Rachel Gordon restored a three-goal cushion in the 29th minute, besting Kuhar with a shot that trickled in from an angle across the goalmouth.
Haverford held a 23-6 shot advantage after the opening stanza and had eight penalty corners to five for Immaculata.
Powell was able to sneak past Kuhar to complete the hat trick for a 5-1 advantage in the 42nd minute, but the Might Macs converted a penalty stroke opportunity from Cayla Williams at the other end to cut it to 5-2. Chai added her second of the contest with a shot that found the back of the cage towards the far post in the 44th minute. Shannon Lozier scored off a penalty corner in the 52nd minute before Mason McNulty added her fifth of the season, redirecting a cross in for a 7-3 advantage in the 57th minute that would stand as the final score.
In total, Haverford fired 42 shots and tallied 16 penalty corners. Powell led all comers with 11 shot opportunities, including six on goal.
Danielle Rette made six saves to improve her individual record to a perfect 4-0 on the season. Kuhhar played valiantly between the pipes in a losing effort, making 12 saves while under near constant pressure from the Haverford offense.
The Fords improve to 14-4-1 all-time against Immaculata, including 13 straight victories.
The turnaround for Haverford is a quick one, with Lebanon Valley coming to Swan Field for a 6:00 p.m. matchup on Wednesday. The Fords dropped a razor thin 2-1 decision in Annville, Pa. last September but took down Lebanon Valley by a tally of 4-2 in September of 2015 at Swan Field. Haverford has won three straight home decisions against LVC.