HAVERFORD, Pa. - A look back at the Haverford College women's soccer team's championship season:
Signature win: Meg Boyer scored the game-winner in the 79th minute to send Haverford College's women's soccer team to its first Centennial Conference tournament championship -- and into the NCAA tournament -- with a 2-1 win over host and 24th-ranked Johns Hopkins University in the final of the league playoffs at Homewood Field on Nov. 4. Phoebe Miller's header had evened the score at the 18:41 mark when she knocked home a cross from Sarah Hoffman on a corner kick opportunity, directing her shot inside the near post before the Blue Jays goalie could reach it. The victory ended the Blue Jays' seven-year run at the top of the conference and reversed the regular-season result that saw the Fords lose 5-1 on October 13 on the same field. The championship game also included a stellar effort on defense as it was one of just seven times in Johns Hopkins' 24 games that the Blue Jays were held to one goal or under.
Participating in the NCAA tournament for the second time in program history, Haverford saw its season end in heart-breaking fashion when the Massachusetts Institute of Technology advanced to the second round of the NCAA championship by a 4-2 count in penalty kicks after the Fords and Bears had played to a double-overtime draw at Walton Field.
Season notes: The graduating class of Hannah Davis, Kara McMahon, Katie Bigay, Hoffman and Chen compiled a four-year record of 50-14-11 to become the winningest class in program history … The Fords made their sixth consecutive trip to the conference tournament and reached double figures in wins for the fourth-straight year … Haverford finished second in the conference in points (109 for average of 5.74 per game) and goals (41 for average of 2.16 per game) … The Fords scored an average of 2.05 goals per contest while holding opponents to 0.84 goal per game … Boyer led the team in points (26), goals (11), shots (64), shots on goal (35) … Boyer led the team and conference in game-winning goals with five while Allie Chen tied for second with four … Chen also tied for second in the conference with six assists … Miller scored four of her five goals on the season in the final seven games … Robin Chernow led all conference netminders with eight shutouts on the season … Haverford went unbeaten at home (9-0-1) for the first time since 2005 … The Fords' goals this season were equally distributed in the first and second half (18) adding three in overtime wins … Haverford exploded for a season-high six goals in a shutout victory against Washington College on October 23 … The Fords ended the season on a seven-game unbeaten streak (5-0-2) … Haverford was ranked 25th in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) weekly national poll on two occasions including the final poll of the regular season.
Awards:
• NSCAA 2012 NCAA Division III All-Mid-Atlantic : Boyer (first team), Chen (third team)
• NCSAA 2012 Women's College Division Scholar All-East Region: Chen (fourth team), McMahon (honorable mention), Mariah Baker (honorable mention)
• Philadelphia Inquirer Women's Soccer Academic All-Area squad: Boyer, Chen
• All-Centennial Conference first team: Boyer, Chen
• All-Centennial Conference second team: Elizabeth Newman
•Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll: Larisa Antonisse, Michelle Babicz, Baker, Boyer, Chen, Robin Chernow, Connie Friedman, Kristin Hasselgren, Sarah Hoffman, McMahon, Miller, Newman
Looking ahead: The Fords return five of their top six scorers from 2012 led by Boyer who finished second in the conference in goals and points. Phoebe Miller, Connie Friedman, Sophie Eiger, Larise Antonisse and Mariah Baker will be key components on offense while Newman and Babicz will once again anchor the defense in front of returning netminder Chernow. Haverford has the pieces in place to confidently defend its crown in 2013.