HAVERFORD, Pa. - Senior defender Elizabeth Newman's goal in the 37th minute proved to be the game-winner for Haverford College's women's soccer team Saturday afternoon in its 3-0 Centennial Conference victory over visiting Ursinus College on Senior Day at Walton Field.
Newman headed in a rebound off a shot from teammate Isabella Bertagna that had struck the crossbar in the game's 37th minute to provide Haverford (10-2-5, 7-0-3 CC) with the only goal it would end up needing to defeat the Bears (8-9-1, 3-6-1).
Saturday's victory pushes the Fords' unbeaten string to 14 games, closes out an unbeaten record in conference play, and improves the team's standing within the league to second-place heading into the upcoming conference tournament.
Early action Saturday saw the Fords generate a smothering attack, keeping Ursinus goalkeeper Kara DiJoseph busy from the first minutes of the contest. Haverford registered eight shots, to just one from the Bears, with DiJoseph forced to make six saves leading up to Newman's marker.
A lofted corner kick from Sierra Houck at 36:15 settled down at the near post where Bertagna poked a shot upward from in close, but the attempt clanged off the crossbar. The rebound drifted to the back post where Newman easily headed it into the netting behind DiJoseph for the opening marker of the game and Newman's second goal of the season.
Four minutes later senior forward Meg Boyer notched her team-leading eighth goal to push the advantage to 2-0, then junior forward Connie Friedman made it 3-0 at the 42:33 mark with her fifth of the year.
Haverford controlled possession the majority of the game generating 22 shots on the day including 13 which made it on goal. The constantpressure helped limit Ursinus to only a few thrusts into the Haverford defensive third resulting in just three shots by the Bears for the game. Two of their three attempts were on frame and easy saves for Haverford netminder Robin Chernow who earned the win.
DiJoseph took the loss after giving up all three goals while coming up with 10 saves.
Saturday marked the final appearance at Walton Field for five Haverford seniors who were celebrated in a brief pre-game ceremony. All five -- Mariah Baker, Boyer, Sophie Eiger, Newman and goalie Kylie Reeves -- were honored with starting spots including Reeves' first in between the pipes as a collegian.
Haverford gets almost a weeksrest before jumping into the Centennial playoff's semifinal round on Friday night at regular-season champion Johns Hopkins University. The second-seeded Fords will square off in one semifinal in Baltimore, Md., against third-seed Gettysburg College. The regular-season match-up between the Fords and Bullets went Haverford's way in a 2-1 double-overtime victory in Gettysburg, Pa.