HAVERFORD, Pa. – After reaching the Centennial Conference tournament and posting 12 wins in 2018, the Haverford College women's lacrosse team enters the 2019 campaign ready to take another huge step in the Centennial Conference race. After spending time in the national rankings a season ago, Haverford looks to prove that it can compete amongst the elite squads in the conference.
The Haverford roster is headlined by returning IWLCA All-Metro Region performers Anna Meyers and Rina Rosnow, while co-captain Allie Gibbons returns for her senior season after a second-team All-Centennial selection a season ago. The Haverford roster features just four seniors, while nine first years enter the picture for the Fords, in what figures to be another exciting trip through a challenging schedule.
Attack: The attack for the Fords will be one of the strongest positional groups as Gibbons (38 goals) and Rosnow (47 goals) both return to headline the forward line. The pair each started all 17 games last year and accounted for 35 percent of Haverford's scoring. Gibbons has been crucial on the ride for the Fords, with 25 ground balls and 18 caused turnovers to lead all attackers in the categories. Julia Manetta also will serve as one of the key cogs of the offense, as Manetta's assisting prowess has propelled her into fourth place in program history in career assists with 71 after just two full seasons on campus. Her 2.22 assists per contest are also the most in program history for players with a minimum of 25 career games played. Sophomores Belle McMahon (11 goals), Hailey Morris, (9 goals, six assists) and Julia Pascarella (five goals, seven assists) all served as important reserves in their first year campaigns and will look to grow into even larger roles in 2019.
Newcomers on the Attack: Hannah Lopez, Kate Severtson
Midfield: Co-captain senior Sarah Svetec anchors the middies group after a solid season in which she won 47 draw controls and scooped 15 ground balls. Svetec also tallied 17 goals and added an assist. Julia Olivia DiRienz played in all 17 games, proving to be a two-way force, tying for the team lead with 53 draw controls while adding 12 ground balls. DiRienz also caused 13 turnovers and scored 14 goals. Junior Eliza Brosgol saw action in all 17 contests with 31 draw controls, 13 ground balls and 10 goals, while junior Maeve Gaffney (26 draw controls, 8 goals) and sophomore Courtney Cubbin (seven goals, seven ground balls) also proved vital to Haverford's depth in the midfield.
Newcomers on the Midfield: Callie Crawford, Roma Hladky, Abby Wolfenden
Defense: Haverford loses an all-conference defender Alyssa Sherman, but returns a group that is solidified by All-Centennial first-teamer Meyers and fellow junior Emily Krupnick. Meyers had a breakout season for the Fords a season ago, with 21 caused turnovers to go with 37 ground balls and 53 draw controls. Meyers ranked fifth in the conference in ground balls and those 53 draw controls were good for the third-most in the program's single season history. Krupnick scooped 20 ground balls and caused 12 turnovers, seeing action in all 17 contests and starting all but one of those games. She recorded multiple caused turnovers in four different games and was named Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week in April after causing four turnovers in the regular season finale against Swarthmore. Senior co-captain Kirsten Mullin saw time in nine games while sophomore Isabel Canning appeared in two contests a season ago.
Newcomers on the Defense: Caroline Alexis, Claire DuBois, Maria Krieg
Goalkeepers: Following the graduation of starter Rachel Romens, Haverford has a young group of goalkeepers on roster, but all three returners have starting experience and are battle-tested entering the 2019 campaign. Junior Paige Walton (8.99 GAA, 15 saves) made a pair of starts a season ago while junior Tatiana Lathion (4.24 GAA, 5 saves) made eight starts of her own in 2017 while appearing exclusively in a reserve role during the 2018 season. Sophomore Amelia Slade grabbed her first career start and win against Bryn Mawr on April 25 and also made five saves in the Centennial Conference tournament against Dickinson.
Newcomers in Goal: Sarah Cahn
Schedule: The Fords have some early tests before the Centennial Conference gauntlet begins. After opening up with Christopher Newport on Saturday at Swan Field, the Fords take on third-ranked TCNJ at home on February 26. The slate includes four home games in the first five games before Haverford heads to Englewood, Fla. for Spring Break matchups with RIT (Mar. 12) and Skidmore (Mar. 14). Conference games of note include a visit from No. 1 Gettysburg (Apr. 13) and a trip to No. 7 Franklin & Marshall (Mar. 30). Haverford also has a key date with recent rival Washington College slated for April 17.