HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College women's lacrosse team (8-4, 4-1 CC) suffered its first conference loss of the season at the hands of the No. 8 ranked Gettysburg Bullets (10-3, 5-0 CC) by a score of 19-13. Haverford looked in control in the early parts of the contest but a seven-goal surge from the visitors proved to be the difference in a matchup between two of the Centennial Conference's best teams.
Sam Silverman has been impressive lately and today's contest was no different. Silverman finished with four goals and added two assists and a ground ball to her ledge.r Two more Fords contributed hat tricks as Katharine Ference and Tiffany Mikulis both chipped in with three goals. Mikulis was also dialed in on draw controls, walking away with eight wins to her name.
The first half was all Fords, but it took some time to get to that point. Gettysburg opened up the contest with three unanswered goals and set the tone early. However, Haverford battled back by scoring their first goal at the 10:14 mark of the first period as Mikulis scored off a pass from Ference.
After Gettysburg increased the lead back to three with just under five minutes to go in the period, the Fords notched goals from Nancy Tucker and Silverman to take the lead t4-3. The Bullets scored the final goal of the period at the three-minute mark, but Haverford seemed to have the momentum in hand.
The Fords flexed their muscles in the second period, completely dominating for ten minutes of fast-paced action. Silverman scored with 11:33 on the clock and then Mikulis added another just 13 seconds later after a key draw control. With the game now tied, Haverford wanted to keep its foot on the gas. The Fords did just that as the hosts added five more goals to increase the scoring run to 7-0.
The offense clicked on all cylinders as the goals came from Ference, Abby Bonner (2 goals), Mikulis, and Silverman. However, Gettysburg started to creep back into the game and showed why they are the No. 8 ranked team in Division III. The Bullets closed the half with three quick unanswered goals to go into halftime down by just two at 10-8.
Unfortunately for the Fords, the Gettysburg run continued well into the third period as the Bullets added another four goals to take a 12-10 lead in the opening seven minutes of the stanza. Ference ended the scoring run with a goal at the 7:02 mark, but Gettysburg answered with another four goals. By the conclusion of the third period, the Fords trailed 16-11 with just one period to make things right.
The slow pace of the fourth period was the opposite of what the Fords wanted to get back into the thick of things. The final period featured only five goals in the back of the net as Haverford added two tallies from Ference and Silverman.
Annie Bravacos started in goal for the Fords and finished with seven saves in her time between the pipes. Gill Cortese matched that effort with seven saves in her 60 minutes. Haverford was even with the Bullets in draw controls, 17-17.
Reigning CC Player of the Year Jordan Basso certainly proved to live up to that billing with eight goals on 10 shots for the Bullets, also posting two ground balls. Emily Crane was also a standout for the visitors, pulling back four goals and adding a ground ball.
Haverford's next opportunity to get in the win column will come on Wednesday, April 19 when they travel to Collegeville to take on the Bears of Ursinus. The opening draw is scheduled for 7 p.m.