HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College volleyball team has announced its schedule for the 2013 season. Looking to continue to remain in the upper echelon of the conference while also making some noise on the regional level, the Fords will tackle a regular-season schedule featuring three 2012 NCAA tournament participants.
The 28th Annual Haverford Invitational kicks off the 2013 slate on Aug. 31. Once again featuring some of the best teams the region has to offer, the Fords will open the two-day tournament with matches against Neumann University and Catholic University on Saturday before facing Susquehanna University and Eastern University on Sunday. Catholic, 27-10 in 2012, was a Landmark Conference finalist last season while Eastern, a perennial NCAA contender, won the Freedom Conference for the fifth consecutive season before falling in the regional finals of the national tournament.
After a visit to Susquehanna University for a two-day tournament on Sept. 7 and 8, Haverford opens up Centennial Conference action against Dickinson University at home on Sept. 14.
As the calendar turns from September to October, the Fords face three straight conference matches on the road as they travel to Gettysburg on Sept. 28 before dates at Ursinus College (Oct. 2) and Franklin & Marshall (Oct. 5).
Fall break brings a trip to the University of Massachusetts Boston where Haverford will do battle with the host Beacons on Oct. 12 in one of four matches over the weekend tournament. The hosts won the Little East Conference title for the fourth consecutive year in 2012 and have been a national quarterfinalist in two of the last three seasons.
The Fords jump back into conference play on Oct. 17 at McDaniel followed by a home match against Johns Hopkins the next night at 7 p.m. The Blue Jays captured the Centennial crown for the second straight season in 2012.
Haverford's treacherous schedule continues on Oct. 22 with a non-conference match against Moravian. The Greyhounds registered a 29-9 mark last season on their way to a berth in the East Coast Athletic Conference South title contest.
Returning home, the Fords have a challenging tri-match on Oct. 26 as they take on rival Swarthmore, a fellow Centennial tournament participant last season, and non-league foe Messiah College. The Falcons fell in the Commonwealth Conference championship in 2012 after their second straight 20-win season.
The regular season concludes with a short trip to Bryn Mawr College and the home finale against Washington College on Oct. 30 and 31, respectively.