HAVERFORD, Pa. – Four goals by Bridget Gibbons highlighted the Haverford College field hockey team's 7-1 victory over visiting Swarthmore College in Centennial Conference action Wednesday night.
Gibbons scored twice within the first 91 seconds for Haverford (7-9, 5-4 CC) and that was all the scoring the Fords would need in a victory that brings the team one win closer to a postseason berth in the conference playoffs.
Swarthmore (5-11, 1-7 CC) gamely held back the would-be flood after Gibbons' second goal but just before halftime the Fords would strike again with another goal from the night's star then one more from teammate Mary Hobbs to take a 4-0 lead into the intermission.
The Garnet finally generated some scoring chances in the early going of the second half -- they had just one shot in the opening 35 minutes -- and found a way past the Haverford defense and goalie Maggie Cronin for a goal in the 45th minute that trimmed the lead to three.
Haverford turned back the momentum, however, and scored three unanswered goals against Garnet goalie Gina Grubb.
Margaret Selsor tipped in an Alex Waleko shot in the 51st minute, then Gibbons added a fourth goal to her already impressive night with a score six minutes later. Christine Gall closed out the scoring for the Fords with a goal in the 68th off an assist from Juliana Morgan-Trostle.
Cronin picked up the win for the Fords stopping two of the three shots on goal that Swarthmore mustered. Grubbs registered 13 saves in the loss.
The game also marked not only the final regular season game on Swan Field this year but also the last one for senior Ariel Herm who was honored in a brief pregame ceremony by her teammates.
With one game left to play in the regular season, Haverford finds itself in the position of entering Saturday's Centennial contest at McDaniel College needing a win to earn one of the five spots in the Centennial tournament. Their fate is in their hands, however, as a win against the Green Terror would lock up a playoff spot without having to rely on wins or losses in other league action.
Wednesday's victory over Swarthmore also adds another point for Haverford in the Hood Trophy chase, the friendly, long-time all-sports competition between the two schools. Haverford leads 3-0 following Tuesday's women's soccer victory and Wednesday's wins over the Garnet in both volleyball and field hockey.