PHILADELPHIA – The Haverford women's lacrosse team downed Eastern by a final score of 23-9 at Sweeney Field on the Campus of Saint Joseph's University on Thursday evening. The squads were playing on Hawk Hill after snow and freezing temperatures left the home sites of both Eastern and Haverford unplayable in the wake of Winter Storm Stella. Haverford improves to 4-2 on the season while Eastern falls to 1-3 overall in 2017.
The Fords received four goal performances from Allie Gibbons and Molly Lausten in the victory. Sarina Manetta won five draw controls and Rachel Romens played the first half in goal, picking up the victory while making five saves in a dominant effort for the Fords. The win represented Haverford's fourth in a row after dropping two contests to begin the regular season.
After Eastern tallied the first goal of the game less than a minute into the contest, Haverford unleashed an 8-1 run to take a commanding lead with over 20 minutes remaining in the half. Allie Gibbons scored twice in the flurry of goals that characterized the stretch.
Eastern tightened things up a bit, cutting the lead to just three at 7-4 in favor of Haverford as Liz Brennan tallied with 17:51 remaining in the first half. The Eagles would get no closer as Haverford uncorked a 10-0 run to take a 17-4 lead and force a running clock.
Maura Grant triggered the rule change with a 10 goal lead, putting home a shot at 7:54 remaining in the half. Lausten then lit the lamp twice before the halftime break.
Eastern scored the first two goals of the second half, with Julie Haggan and Anna Charlebois both converting to cut the lead to 11 at 17-6. Allie Gibbons then extended her Centennial Conference lead in goals with her 20th and 21st of the season to give Haverford a game-high 14 goal lead at 21-7.
Haverford saw 12 different players record goals and 11 different players record a ground ball. A total of nine different Fords won a draw control in the victory.
Haverford is scheduled to return to action on Wednesday, March 22 at Cabrini College. The opening draw for that contest is slated for 4:00 p.m.