BRYN MAWR, Pa. - The Haverford College field hockey team (6-6, 1-4 CC) came up short at Bryn Mawr on Wednesday afternoon, falling to the Owls (7-5, 2-3 CC) by a 3-0 final on Applebee Field in a rematch of last season's Centennial Conference tournament first round contest. The hosts scored twice in the first half and used a stifling defensive effort to deny a Haverford comeback bid in the second.
Haverford earned an early chance in the third minute, with Zoey Despines firing a shot on frame straight out of the gates. The Fords initially defended a strong Owls penalty corner chance in the 10th minute, with the Haverford back line coming up huge for a defensive save, but the ball found its way around a few Bryn Mawr sticks, eventually bouncing in past Smith as Hazel Miller was credited with her first goal of the season. Thekla Jubinville took the assist on the opener.
The Fords went back to work in the 17th minute, after earning a key penalty corner out of the second quarter gates. Erica Pardón sent the attempt to the top of the circle, and Holly Vincent saw her shot redirected by Bryn Mawr goalkeeper Charlene Basque. The deflection found Abigail Trapp, who fired just wide.
Bryn Mawr earned a penalty corner of its own with 8:47 left in the half, and doubled its advantage after Annick Van Blerkom sent the attempt into the waiting stick of Noor Werndlij. Werndlij made a strong cross-circle pass to Eva Yacura, who rocketed an attempt into the cage for her third goal of the season.
The Fords earned a corner just minutes later, but Vincent saw her shot drift a bit wide. Haverford looked the more aggressive side offensively out of the gates in the third stanza, with Despines having a shot cleared off the back line by van Blerkom in the 38th minute.
In the fourth, Smith denied a few early shot attempts from the Owls offense, as three consecutive corner tries went fruitless for the hosts. Bryn Mawr broke through in the 52nd minute, as it was van Blerkom getting it done on the other side of the ball. After inserting the corner try to the top of the circle, van Blerkom got in position to take a feed from Charlotte Hauptman for her first tally of the season.
The defense was the highlight for the Owls, as the Fords did not register a shot attempt in the fourth stanza. Bryn Mawr held a 12-5 edge in shots, while the hosts earned eight penalty corners to three for the Fords. Mary Smith was called into action to make seven saves while Lindsey Darby played the final 8:01 between the pipes without facing a shot on frame.
Haverford now will have a brief chance to regroup before the Fords travel to No. 25 Franklin & Marshall for a Saturday afternoon contest on October 14. First pass on Tylus Field in Lancaster is slated for noon.