HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College women's lacrosse team saw its season-opening unbeaten streak come to an end as the Fords fell, 13-12, to visiting St. Mary's College of Maryland in non-conference action at Swan Field on Wednesday night.
After the two squads traded goals over the opening four minutes of action, Haverford (5-1) surged with three straight scores as two unassisted goals from Diana Perry sandwiched Megan Gallagher's fifth of the year from Kenny Likes.
The Seahawks (3-5) answered with three of their own over a seven-minute stretch to tie the score at 4-4 with just under five minutes remaining until intermission.
Christina Gould's first of the night restored the Haverford advantage but Claire McGagh converted a Brynn Miller feed in the final minute to forge a 5-5 tie at the break.
Following five minutes of scoreless play to start the second half, Gould struck again with her ninth of the season at 24:22. Amanda Fleming followed with another on a free position shot less than three minutes later to push the Fords' lead to two, 7-5.
The game of runs continued, however, as St. Mary's converted two consecutive free position shots to account for the fourth deadlock of the night with 20 minutes to go in the contest.
Gould came through with her career-high third of the game at 18:55 to put Haverford on top once more, but the Seahawks made the most of an extra-man opportunity to quickly knot the score at 8-8.
Perry continued the rapid goal-scoring pace off the ensuing draw as she raced down the field and deposited her 20th of the season past St. Mary's goalie Michelle DiMenna.
The Seahawks moved ahead for the first time on the night by scoring the next three but the Fords were far from finished. Gallagher tallied her sixth and seventh of the season, and second and third of the night, in a two-minute stretch and Hannah Morgan's free position shot restored a one-goal Haverford advantage, 12-11.
St. Mary's once again responded when Emily Shafer scored her fourth of the night at 6:33 to tie the score for the eighth and final time.
Kayla Dunn, on in relief for DiMenna, made a big stop on a Perrin Downing opportunity at the six-minute mark and Shafer came up with the go-ahead goal two minutes later on a free-position shot.
A determined effort by the Fords' defense produced a turnover with two minutes on the clock but Haverford could not come up with the equalizer.
Digging deep one more time, Brianna Robbins caused another turnover at the 30-second mark and Grace Stockbower picked up the groundball. Likes took the pass from Stockbower and sprinted down the field but Dunn (1-2) turned away Likes' last-second bid to extend the contest.
Gould's impressive season continued with a career-high five-point performance (three goals, two assists). The freshman has now scored at least one goal in each of the Fords' first six contests.
Perry chipped in with three goals, one assist and two draw controls while Fleming added two goals, one draw control and four ground balls. Stockbower was active on defense with four caused turnovers.
Shannon Horn (4-1) made four saves in the loss while DiMenna and Dunn combined for six saves for the Seahawks.
Shafer paced St. Mary's with five goals on six shots.
Haverford looks to get back on track on Saturday when it opens Centennial Conference play against fifth-ranked Gettysburg College at Swan Field. The contest against the defending conference champion Bullets begins at 1 p.m.