HAVERFORD, Pa. - The No. 25 Haverford College women's lacrosse team (5-3, 1-0 CC) began the 2024 Centennial Conference slate with a 13-6 victory on a water-logged Swan Field, battling a driving rain and strong wind to pour in 13 goals in a 13-6 victory over the visiting Red Devils (6-3, 0-1 CC).
Brooke Epstein paced the Fords with four goals, while Abby Bonner and Tiffany Mikulis also added hat-tricks in the contest.
On the defensive side of the ball, Lizzie Healy caused two turnovers, while Louisa Coughlin and Lauren Anderson scooped up three ground balls each.
In between the posts, Lizzie Symonds faced 12 shots, stopping six, and picking up a game-high five ground balls. In a game that saw 10 draw controls for the Scarlet and Black, Mikulis came away with five.
The first goal of the contest came from a player-down situation, as Epstein found the back of the net at the 12:20 mark to give the Fords a quick 1-0 lead. Dickinson answered back in a hurry, as Abby Geary scored two goals in less than 90 seconds to give the Red Devils a 2-1 lead.
Daniela Martini would even things up for the Fords with 7:46 to go, before Syd MacKeigan gave Dickinson a 3-2 lead with 6:23 flashing on the scoreboard. A player-up goal from Mikulis, followed by an Abby Bonner go-ahead goal, gave Haverford a 4-3 lead headed into quarter number two.
Sage Whiteside of Dickinson would kick off the scoring in the second stanza, as her goal at the 11:46 mark leveled the game at 4-4. The Fords would then go on a tear, scoring five unanswered goals to take cruise into the halftime break up 9-4. The Scarlet and Black found themselves with the substantial lead after two goals from Mikulis, two goals from Bonner, and Epstein's second goal of the contest.
Haverford would continue to keep their foot on the pedal in the third quarter, as Ellie Hughes took advantage of their player-up situation, slotting a goal home off a pass from Sophie Jaffe, to give the Fords a 10-4 lead.
Bella Guckes pulled one back for the Red Devils with 5:30 remaining in the third quarter, before Epstein tallied her third goal of the game at the 4:50 mark, as the Scarlet and Black regained their six-goal cushion, 11-5.
Kylie McNamara would increase the hosts lead to 12-7 to begin the final quarter, before Delaney Herbert scored the sixth goal of the game for Dickinson to pull within six, 12-6. Epstein's fourth and final goal of the matchup sealed the deal for the Fords, as Haverford claimed a 13-6 win to pick up their first Centennial Conference victory of the season.
The game served as Haverford's annual Play with Pride Game, celebrating LGBTQ+ inclusion within the Haverford Athletics and the broader college community. Haverford will now return to action as Centennial Conference play continues on Saturday, March 30 at Muhlenberg. Opening draw is slated for 1 p.m. in Allentown, Pa.