SCRANTON, Pa. - The Haverford College women's lacrosse team used a late second-half offensive surge to take down the University of Scranton, 12-9, in non-conference action at Fitzpatrick Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Fords (2-0) scored four of the final five goals of the game to break open a tightly-contested battle and keep their spotless record intact.
After the Royals' Kerry Sullivan scored her third of the day with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game to knot the score at 8-8, Haverford's Hannah Morgan quickly answered less than a minute later with her second of the afternoon and team-leading eighth of the season.
Morgan's goal was the first of three straight by the Fords as Diana Perry followed with an unassisted tally with eight minutes left on the clock. Freshman Amanda Fleming pushed the Haverford advantage to three, 11-8, at the four-minute mark when she converted a Perry feed for her first collegiate goal.
Scranton's Shannon Ginty pulled the hosts within two with 1:19 remaining, but the Fords' defense stood tall and Perry closed the afternoon's scoring with her fifth of the season with eight seconds left in the game.
Haverford enjoyed a fast start on offense for the second consecutive game as it exploded for five unanswered goals in the first eight and a half minutes of the contest. Morgan continued her scintillating early-season play as she converted a look from Kenny Likes less than three minutes into the game. Dayna Kim and Perrin Downing followed with a goal apiece in the next two minutes before Likes capped the barrage with two straight separated by less than a minute.
The Royals (0-1), playing in their home opener, responded with a scoring burst of their own as they scored seven of the next nine over the final 20 minutes of the opening stanza. Freshman Elyse Adler tallied her first collegiate goal and Christina Gould added her third of the season right before the break to forge a 7-7 tie at intermission.
Adler struck again when she opened the second-half scoring on a successful free-position shot at the 20-minute mark. The freshman's second of the contest was the only scoring in the first 20 minutes after the break.
Haverford outshot Scranton 27-18 and also had a 15-7 advantage in draw controls.
Morgan, Perry and Likes each finished with two goals. Morgan has already surpassed her entire goal output from last season (seven) in the first two contests of 2013. Perry also added two assists while Morgan, Likes, Fleming, Adler and Gould chipped in with one apiece.
Jilliana DePaolera and Sullivan tallied three goals each for the Royals to share game-high honors.
Margaret Perkoff (1-0) earned the victory in goal with three saves over the final 30 minutes of action. Megan Chenworth registered one save in the opening half.
Kathleen Smart (0-1) took the look for Scranton with nine saves on the afternoon.
The Fords' victory avenges the 13-12 season-opening loss to the Royals in 2012.
Looking to continue its perfect start, Haverford welcomes Rowan University to Swan Field on Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m.