HAVERFORD, Pa. – Arcadia scored twice early in the match Saturday afternoon, and those two goals were enough as the Knights knocked off Haverford, 2-1, in the opening match of the Haverford Kick-Off Classic at historic Walton Field.
After falling behind 2-0 in the first 17 minutes of the match, Haverford cut the lead in half in the 36th minute of the first half on some beautiful soccer in front of the Arcadia net. Sophomore midfielder JJ Stein corraled the ball on the left side of the box and then sent a perfect crossing pass through the box to junior forward Grace Haskell, who headed it past Arcadia goalkeeper Abigail Fuchs for Haverford's first goal of the season.
The match was 2-1 at halftime and stayed that way through the second half, but it wasn't for lack of opportunities for the Fords. Haverford peppered Fuchs in the second half with 12 total shots, including five on goal.
All five of those shots on goal came in the final 33 minutes of the match, but Haverford couldn't get the equalizer past Fuchs, who saved eight of nine Haverford shots. Haverford senior forward Liv McMillan had three shots on goal in the 57th, 68th, and 86th minutes of the match, while Haskell had a shot on goal in the 77th minute, and junior defender Sophia Miranda had one in the 80th minute.
Arcadia got the scoring started in the fifth minute of the match as Abby Stephen took a pass off a throw-in, pushed it ahead, and then launched a perfect crosser to Alexis Rabold, who fired from 15 yards out and put it past Haverford's senior keeper Theresa Haupt.
Just 12 minutes later, Arcadia added another tally to its side of the scoreboard, and again, the Knights were able to convert off a throw-in. After the throw-in from the right side of the field, Emily Nervegna found herself with the ball and no one in front of her. She pushed the ball ahead and found Angela Rosenberger uncovered in the box. She found room at the top of the goal and put it over Haupt for a 2-0 Arcadia lead at the 16:27 mark of the first half.
Haverford had two more shots on goal in the final four minutes of the first half but couldn't get one past Fuchs. Haskell had a shot on goal at the 40:34 mark, and junior midfielder Sarah Klink had an opportunity for the tying goal at the 44:01 mark. But Fuchs was up to the task as she stopped eight of Haverford's eight shots on goal.
Haupt played well in goal for the Fords as she was able to stop five of Arcadia's seven shots on goal. Her defense was terrific in the final 73 minutes of the match, giving up just two more shots in the first half and three total shots in the second half.
The Fords will have a quick turnaround as they host The College of New Jersey at 12 p.m. Sunday on the final day of the Haverford Kick Off Classic. TCNJ is 0-1 on the young season after a narrow 1-0 loss Saturday to seventh-ranked William Smith in the late game on day one.