HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College field hockey team kept itself in the Centennial Conference playoff discussion with a 2-1 come-from-behind overtime victory against Gettysburg Saturday afternoon on Swan Field. The Fords (5-5, 1-4 CC) scored with less than four minutes remaining in regulation to tie the match before Lucy Tortolani finished the game-winner just 2:55 into the first overtime session in a crucial Centennial victory over the Bullets (6-5, 3-2 CC).
Haverford controlled the entire tempo of the opening half but still had nothing to show for its attacking efforts after 35 minutes of play. The Fords went scoreless into the halftime break despite an 8-1 advantage in shots and 6-1 edge in penalty corners. Gettysburg goalie Jillian Caputo was called on to make four saves during the opening half, while Haverford goalie Hannah Roth went untested during that time.
Gettysburg held a slight 6-4 edge in shots during the second half and would strike first on the scoreboard during the 56th minute of play when Allison Cavicchio tipped in a pass near the far post to give the Bullets a 1-0 lead with 14:57 remaining in regulation time.
The Fords finished Saturday's match with twice as many penalty corner chances, holding a 10-5 advantage in that category. It was on those short corners that the Fords ended up tying the match. On Haverford's goal, Roxy Vassighi found a waiting Ariana Sulpizio on the far post for the deflection into the net, leveling the contest at one. The goal was Sulpizio's team-leading fourth goal this season. Vassighi was credited with her team-best third assist on the play.
Playing a 7v7 overtime for the second straight match, Haverford had the only chances of the overtime session. The Fords appeared to have the game-winner off the stick of Paige Powell just over two minutes into the extra time, but a defensive save by the Bullets' Grace Torrance on the goal line saved match for Gettysburg for the time being. However, it would not be long before Caroline Aronowitz played a long pass into the circle and found Tortolani in front of the cage for the game-winning tally. Tortolani's goal was her first this season and eighth of her career. Three of those goals have been game-winning efforts. Aronowitz was credited with her first assist of the season and fourth of the back's career.
Powell led Haverford's attack with five shots against Gettysburg, while Tortolani's overtime winner came on her third run at goal. Casey Wakai also recorded two shot attempts for the Fords. In the cage, Roth made three saves for the Fords – all of which came during the second half – to record her fifth victory this season.
Field hockey will face two more crucial Centennial Conference matchups this upcoming week as the team travels to Washington College for a rematch of its Centennial Conference first round victory last year. That contest in Chestertown is slated to get underway at 4 p.m. The Fords will follow that up with a trip to McDaniel next Sunday in a scheduled 1 p.m. start.