HAVERFORD, Pa. – Chasing after a first round bye for next week's Centennial Conference tournament, the Haverford College women's lacrosse team saw a lock for that bye slip away with visiting Ursinus College's 8-4 defeat of the Fords in an important league game Wednesday afternoon.
Haverford (9-6, 5-3 CC) would have locked up the third seed in the tournament with a victory but now the Bears (7-8, 5-3) have the advantage with ownership of the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Both teams played a methodical, patient offense in their respective attacking zones Wednesday, oftentimes probing and circling the goal for upward of three minutes before finding a shooting crease.
Ursinus had an early edge in possession and finally found enough space in the Fords' defense to get off a scoring shot at the 22:24 mark of the first half.
It wasn't until nearly eight minutes later that the Bears could find the back of the net again as Haverford goalkeeper Leah Hammerschlag was turning away the few scoring chances Ursinus was able to create.
Ten minutes later, and then again with just five seconds remaining in the half, the visitors were able get shots past Hammerschlag to increase the lead and take a 4-0 score into the intermission.
Haverford's Megan Gallagher, with an assist from Alexa Pesce, quickly broke the Fords' drought, though, with a goal just 41 seconds after the second half's opening draw control.
Ursinus extended the lead back to four on Alyssa Thren's 41st goal not quite four minutes later, but Grace Stockbower's quick shot from close in off a Kayleigh Herrick-Reynolds feed cut the edge back to three with 20 minutes remaining in the half.
That would be as close as the Fords would get, though, before finally succumbing to the Bears in the four-goal loss.
Kenny Likes and Josie Ferri added the other goals for the Fords. Three different Ursinus players finished with two goals apiece to lead the visitor's attack.
Hammerschlag finished with nine saves in the loss, while Ursninus' Jackie Kimmel earned the win after making five saves.
One game remains on the regular season schedule for the Fords—Saturday at Swarthmore—who have clinched fourth place in the league standings which means Haverford will host the No. 4 versus No. 5-seed game Wednesday, April 27 at Swan Field.
In a scheduling twist, the Fords will know what Saturday's outcome could bring as Ursinus takes on visiting Muhlenberg College (7-7, 3-5 CC) Friday afternoon, and a Mules victory brings back into play the chance for a third seed and first-round bye for the Fords with a win over the Garnet.