HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College field hockey team (1-0) began the 2023 season with a resounding 2-0 blanking of local foe Eastern (0-1), as the Fords dominated the Eagles 22-7 in shots while the defense held the visitors without a shot on cage in the contest.

Haverford began the game with some offensive intensity, as a penalty corner in the third minute led to a flurry of shots in the early goings, as Anna Bradley and Holly Vincent each saw their shots saved before Bradley took a feed from Rachel Marlin and buried the opening tally in the fourth minute. 

On Haverford's next shot on goal, it was again Bradley burying her fifth career goal and second of the young season,  this time taking a feed from Holly Vincent and beating Abby Agapito to double the Haverford advantage just under 10 minutes into the contest.

The Fords threatened to add to their advantage in the second period, with Erica Pardon, Vincent, and Abigail Trapp each having solid looks on cage, but the Fords didn't find a third goal before the halftime intermission. 

Haverford did well to fend off penalty corner after penalty corner from the Eagles in the second half, with a pair of solid attempts from Eastern blocked in the circle. 

A penalty stroke off the stick of Zoey Despines just missed a chance to give the Fords their third tally, but Haverford was content to take the commanding shutout performance to open up the 2023 campaign. 

Vincent and Pardon combined for nine of Haverford's 13 shots on target, while Paige Brouse was the only Eastern player with more than one shot on the evening. Mary Smith logged all 60 minutes between the pipes, but was not called upon to make a save. Agapito notched 11 in a valiant effort for Eastern.

Haverford will be right back in action on Sunday afternoon taking on the Colonels of Centre at 11 a.m. on Swan Field. The contest serves as prelude to a two-game road swing to Stockton and Alvernia next week.