Furious rally falls just short against Muhlenberg

Furious rally falls just short against Muhlenberg

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - A late rally by the Haverford College women's lacrosse team came up just short as host Muhlenberg College held on for a 14-12 Centennial Conference victory on Wednesday afternoon at Scotty Wood Stadium.

Trailing 12-5 with 21:34 remaining in the contest, the Fords (5-5, 1-2 CC) staged a furious comeback that saw Haverford score six unanswered goals over an almost 10-minute span. Junior Dayna Kim began the surge with her sixth of the season and sophomore Christina Gould continued the rally with a free-position shot with 19 minutes left on the clock. After Megan Gallagher went back-to-back in a three-minute stretch, freshman Maura Grant converted a feed from Gould to bring the visitors within two (12-10) with 12 minutes to go.

Looking for any possible way to slow down the Fords' attack, the Mules (7-3, 1-2) burned their second timeout in a matter of three minutes after Grant's goal.

Haverford kept the pressure on and the Fords' perseverance paid off when Diana Perry, who established a new career high with eight draw controls in the game, deposited her second goal of the contest with just under 10 minutes remaining to pull Haverford within one, 12-11, at 9:51. Perry's team-leading 24th marker of the season chased Muhlenberg starting goalie Kiersten Mulvey (7-3) and the Fords looked primed to complete the epic rally. The hosts had other ideas, however, as junior Stephanie Umbach, who earned game-high scoring honors with seven goals and one assist, broke the Mules' scoring drought with her sixth of the day with seven minutes remaining in the game.

The Haverford defense clamped down though and forced a failed clear at the five-minute mark. Freshman Sarina Manetta picked up the subsequent ground ball and then Gould made the possession count with her 18th of the year.

Once again the Fords eyed the equalizer but Muhlenberg limited Haverford to just one more shot over the remainder of regulation while also adding an insurance goal with a little over a minute left to play.

Gallagher and Gould paced the Fords with three goals apiece while Perry and Grant chipped in with two each. Kim finished with two assists to go along with her second-half marker and Hannah Morgan accounted for Haverford's remaining goal.

Sophomore Megan Chenworth (1-2) suffered the loss in net for the Fords.

Haverford will look to bounce back against visiting Dickinson College on Saturday at noon.