LANCASTER, Pa. — The Haverford College field hockey team (10-8) suffered a 2-0 defeat to Franklin & Marshall (10-8) in the Centennial Conference First Round on Tuesday afternoon at Tylus Field on Franklin & Marshall's campus.
Just 37 seconds into the game, Franklin & Marshall threatened Haverford's defense, as Jessica Miller fired a shot on target that Haverford goalkeeper Mary Smith deflected. At 5:14 in the first period, Zoey Despines launched Haverford's first attempt, narrowly missing the goal.
The second quarter saw continued pressure from Franklin & Marshall. An early shot by Miller was saved by Mary Smith, and F&M's Keira Boensch, Alison McCarey, and Caitlin Hoover each attempted shots that were blocked by Haverford's resilient defense. Following a penalty corner with three minutes remaining, Maya Rorick aimed a shot toward the goal that was blocked, with Miller collecting the rebound and sending a high shot just wide, keeping the score deadlocked at 0-0.
A minute later, after another penalty corner for the Diplomats, Boensch unleashed a powerful shot that Smith expertly saved, maintaining the tie as both teams entered halftime.
At the half, F&M outshot Haverford 10-1 and led in penalty corners 7-1. With just under 11 minutes left in the third quarter, Haverford's Louisa Coughlin directed a far-post shot off a penalty corner, but F&M goalkeeper Meghan Dole made a sharp kick save. Then, with eight minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Diplomats broke the scoreless draw. After their ninth penalty corner of the night, Boensch backhanded a shot past Smith to give F&M a 1-0 edge.
With 3:10 left in the third period, Megan Dadio advanced downfield for F&M and sent a pass to Hannah Fitzgerald, who controlled the ball in front of Smith and scored with a backhanded shot, extending the Diplomats' lead to 2-0.
In the fourth quarter, Haverford managed two shots: a blocked attempt from Vincent and a chance by Joelle McElroy, which was cleared by Annie Malatesta with a defensive save. Despite Haverford's defensive stand in the final quarter, F&M held onto their two-goal lead for the 2-0 victory.
Franklin & Marshall held a 16-4 edge in shots and a 13-4 edge in penalty corners on the evening. Mary Smith made five saves in her 60 minutes between the pipes.
This loss to Franklin & Marshall concludes Haverford's season, yet the 2024 campaign marked a significant positive step forward for the Scarlet and Black. Competing in one of Division III's toughest field hockey conferences, Haverford achieved a 10-8 overall record and a 6-4 record in the Centennial Conference, securing their first playoff appearance since 2022. Head Coach Jackie Cox and the team now look to build on this successful season as they prepare for 2025.