MEDFORD, Mass. – The Haverford College field hockey team dropped a tough non-conference test at No. 3 Tufts on Wednesday, falling 2-0 to the host Jumbos on Ounjian Field, in the program's first trip to Massachusetts since 2005.
First year goalkeeper Hannah Roth made eight saves, but Tufts tallied a pair of second half goals to pull away from the Fords. Haverford is now 6-7 on the season while Tufts improves to 12-1 overall with the victory.
The Haverford defense kept Tufts off the scoreboard in the first half, successfully defending the first Jumbos corner in the 15th minute before Roth was called into action to make a save in the 20th minute. Roth stopped another shot in the 26th minute, and the Haverford defense blocked an attempt off the stick of Shannon Yogerst in the 31st minute.
Roth had three saves in total in the first half. The Fords continued to keep Tufts at bay with a strong showing in the defensive third, blocking several shots in the circle in the early goings of the second period. Tufts finally broke through in the 48th minute as Claire Foley buried a redirection for a 1-0 lead. The Jumbos converted on a penalty corner in the 51st, with Rachel Hamilton finding the insert pass and firing from the top of the circle, besting Roth for a 2-0 lead. Marguerite Salamone was credited with an assist on the goal.
The Fords earned their first corner of the contest in the 60th minute, with sights set on cutting the deficit to just one. Roxy Vassighi saw her ensuing shot attempt miss wide. The defense went back to work from that point on, with Roth making a save in the final three minutes of action while the defense also blocked a pair of attempts in the waning minutes.
Haverford will now return to conference action on Saturday, October 20 at 12:30 p.m. against Dickinson. The game will be Senior Day at Swan Field as the Fords honor the accomplishments and contributions of Charlotte Eisenberg, Mason McNulty, Paige Powell, and Alissa Valentine.