PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The Haverford women's lacrosse team picked up a second straight victory to begin its Spring Break trip in Florida, dispatching Kenyon by a final score of 16-9. Sarina Manetta extended her Centennial Conference goals lead with four to pace the Fords in the contest. Haverford has now evened its record at 2-2 while Kenyon falls to 0-1 after playing in its first contest of 2017.
Reining Centennial Conference offensive player of the week Allie Gibbons opened up the scoring just forty seconds into the contest, tallying an unassisted strike to put Haverford up 1-0. Allie McLane equalized for Kenyon, but Sarina Manetta converted a free position shot for a 2-1 Fords advantage. Gibbons scored again with 21:36 remaining in the first half, but Kenyon scored two unanswered from Cassie Hudson-Heck and Kat Englert.
What followed next for Haverford helped largely decide the result by the halftime break.
Haverford went on an 8-1 run to close the half, as Maeve Gaffney scored to open the run ahead of goals from Gibbons, Maura Grant and Shannon Rafsol made it 7-3 with 5:42 to play in the half.
Manetta tallied again for an 8-3 advantage and Gaffney scored her second of the contest for a 9-3 lead. Manetta made it 10-3 with a goal at 2:40 and closed the half with yet another goal as Haverford headed into the half up 11-4.
Kenyon scored twice in the early goings of the second half to cut the Haverford lead to just six goals at 12-6, but the Fords were able to cruise from that point on.
Averi Gaines added her second in as many contests ahead of Rafsol, who netted her third of the contest and the 16th of the game with 12:14 remaining in the second.
Gibbons and Rafsol each recorded hat tricks in addition to Manetta's four. Gaffney added a pair of goals. Kate Sollee picked up four assists. Maura Grant scooped two ground balls while Claire Cote and Olivia DiRienz each had three draw controls.
The Fords used three goalkeepers, as Tatiana Lathion picked up her second win, making four saves in the first half. Rachel Romens and Paige Walton split the second half duties, with Romens making two saves before Walton made her debut closing out the contest between the pipes.
Kenyon was paced by Cassie Hudson-Heck and Allie McLane, who each had two goals. Allie Dumas made eight saves in goal.
The Fords will return to action on Wednesday against Roanoke as action in the Sunshine State continues. Game time is slated for 12:30 p.m. in Port Charlotte.