HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women's soccer team, ranked No. 23 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Poll, opened Centennial Conference play with a 1-1 draw against Dickinson Saturday afternoon on Walton Field. The game was another classically tight matchup as the teams are 1-1-2 in the last four meetings with each side's victory being decided by a single goal.
After a scoreless opening half, the Red Devils (4-1-2, 0-0-1 CC) cracked the scoreboard first with a goal in the 60th minute of play. However, just six minutes later Ali Lopez helped to keep the Fords' unbeaten streak alive in the 66th minute of play when she beat the keeper in close to the far past and tied the game at one.
The Centennial Conference opener was a fairly even statistical battle overall. Dickinson held slight edges in by shots, 17-15, and shots on goal, 8-5. However, big saves from goalie Kathy Prescott earned the Fords a hard-fought point to start the conference slate. Prescott made seven saves in total on the afternoon, including three over the course of the two 10-minute overtime sessions to keep the game level.
The match started out with each squad taking five shots over the first 45 minutes of play. During that time, Prescott was called on to make three saves while her Dickinson counterpart made a pair of stops to keep the game scoreless at the first break. Haverford's chances both came in a span of just nine seconds as both Anna Dekle and Jo Haller put shots on goal. The Fords shortly after earned a corner kick for their efforts but were unable to materialize any offensive output on the attempt.
The Fords' offense began to pick up the pace in the second half as it took 10 shots during the half, while limiting Dickinson to just six shots during that span. It looked as though the Fords were beginning to gain traction offensively just before the first strike from Dickinson as the Fords had just sent three shots towards goal before the Red Devils' Jenna Lamb countered for the score.
Haverford kept the offensive pressure high even down a goal as it came back with two more shots that traveled wide of goal in the 65th minute. The hosts would not have to wait much longer for their efforts to be rewarded as Skyler Ellenburg found Lopez in a 1v1 situation. The pass allowed Lopez to slip her defender and beat the Dickinson defense for her second goal of the season. The Fords had one last shot on goal, but Dickinson's Charlotte Armour was in position to send the game into extra time.
In the extra two sessions, Dickinson took the only six shots over those 20 minutes. However, the aforementioned Prescott was up to the test on all three shots on goal to preserve the tie. The Fords' offense over the course of the game was very balanced as nine different players spread out the 15 shots. Dekle led the Fords with three shots on the afternoon.
After opening Centennial Conference play, the Fords will resume non-conference action with three more non-conference games before an all Centennial Conference slate in October. The first of those remaining non-conference tilts will see the Fords travel to Lebanon Valley this Wednesday for a 4 p.m. start before closing out the month with two home dates.