BRYN MAWR, Pa. - The Haverford College field hockey team (8-10) was upended by Bryn Mawr (14-4), a team receiving votes in the latest NFHCA Poll, falling by a 4-0 final at Applebee Field on the Bryn Mawr campus in the first round of the Centennial Conference Field Hockey tournament on Tuesday afternoon.
Shots were even on the afternoon, with the Fords and Owls each firing nine. Bryn Mawr earned eight penalty corners, while the Fords picked up seven in the contest. Haverford came out swinging, with four shots in the first 15 minutes of action as the Fords did well to establish a presence in the attacking third, fighting for corners as the offense seemed to be in rhythm out of the gates. The Fords held a 4-2 edge in shots in that stanza, with Zoey Despines putting a shot on target in the 11th minute ahead of shots on target from Olivia Ahart and Dalia Bercow in the final moments of that period.
The second period saw the scoring open for the Owls, with Thekla Jubinville grabbing a goal off a penalty corner as she was in perfect position to deflect in a strong ball in from Eva Yacura to open the scoring in the 23rd minute. Bryn Mawr turned up the offensive intensity in the third period, but Haverford did well to defend penalty corner tries from the Owls. In the 36th minute, Rachel Marlin was credited with a defensive save, clearing a ball off the back line to keep the Owls to a one-goal cushion.
The hosts added their second goal of the contest just moments later, with Hazel Miller credited with an assist on Yacura's ninth tally of the season in the 40th minute. In the fourth, Haverford had a stellar opportunity to cut the lead to just one as the Fords were awarded a penalty stroke, but the attempt rocketed in from Delaney Snowden went just off the post.
Ahart and Snowden each tallied shots in the home stretch as the Fords earned a pair of corners in the final 10 minutes, but Bryn Mawr scored on both of its penalty corner tries down the stretch to extend the lead. Yacura continued her stellar day with her 10th goal of the season in the 58th minute, and Maggie Barilla added her second of the year moments later to put a cap on the Owls victory. Mary Smith finished with two saves, while her counterpart Maggie Titus stopped four shots in the cage. Yacura was the only player on either side with multiple shots on target.
Bryn Mawr now advances to Thursday's Centennial Conference semifinal at second-seeded Franklin & Marshall. The contest will begin at 7 p.m. The loss brings the 2022 season to the close as the Fords battled back with three thrilling victories in the final five regular season contests, ultimately getting the job done at rival Swarthmore on Saturday to set up the showdown with Bryn Mawr.
The Fords were making a second consecutive appearance in the Centennial Conference tournament, and the 10th overall postseason trip in the program's Centennial Conference era. Haverford will now await the release of the All-Centennial Conference teams and other postseason awards, which are expected to be unveiled in the coming days.