WESTMINSTER, Md. – The Haverford College women's soccer team seemingly controlled the tempo for much of the afternoon during the Fords (7-4-1, 4-2-1 CC) trip to McDaniel. However, the Green Terror (8-4, 5-3 CC) turned things around in the second half with three unanswered goals to pull out a 4-2 come-from-behind victory on Saturday afternoon.
Despite the Fords carrying a lead into the halftime break, it was McDaniel who got onto the scoreboard just 2:11 into regulation time as Kirsten Gibson headed home a cross in front of goal for the 1-0 advantage. Haverford answered right back on its first shot of the contest as Sydney West finished a pass from Katie Safter to level the game during the 15th minute of play. West was credited with her third goal of the season on that play.
Safter got into the scoring act herself just over 13 minutes later as she gathered possession inside of the 18 and was able to beat the goalie across her body to give the Fords a 2-1 advantage. Safter's goal marked the second straight contest in which the senior captain has scored. She is now one of five players on the Fords with at least three goals, joining Grace Mathis, Kendra Griesman, Mia Reyes, and West. Safter now has 10 career goals with today marking a career-high three points on offense for the first time during her collegiate career.
Haverford's lead held up all the way until the 65th minute as the Green Terror did not record a shot on goal despite three different chances at a corner kick since falling behind for the first time all afternoon. McDaniel instead evened the game with an unassisted goal as Hannah Schepers scored for the eighth time this season.
With an unconventional goal in the 80th minute, the Green Terror took the lead as Alyssa Johnson scored directly off of her own corner insert for the eventual game-winning goal. Haverford goalie Julie Hanss was issued a straight red following the play and with the Fords playing down a player the rest of the match, McDaniel scored a much more traditional goal on a corner as Lindsey Farrell headed home the insert from Johnson with exactly nine minutes to play. That goal gave McDaniel its eventual 4-2 victory as the Fords earned two corners in the remaining time, but could not garner a shot attempt from either.
Women's soccer will now return home this week to start a stretch of three straight home matches. Those home dates start this coming Wednesday at 4 p.m. against Scranton in the team's final non-conference match of the regular season. Haverford resumes Centennial Conference play next Saturday by hosting Dickinson on Senior Day in a match that will get started at 12 p.m. noon.