SWARTHMORE, Pa. - The Haverford College women's soccer team (11-5-2, 5-3-2 CC) drew level with Hood Trophy rival Swarthmore (8-3-6, 5-2-3 CC), 1-1, at Clothier Turf Field on the Swarthmore campus Saturday afternoon. By virtue of the tie, both the Fords and the Garnet will earn half a point in the Hood Trophy standings. Each squad will now travel for the Centennial Conference First Round, with sixth-seeded Haverford headed to third-seeded Franklin & Marshall, while fifth-seeded Swarthmore travels to fourth-seeded Dickinson. Game times for the entire Centennial Conference Tournament will be announced on Monday morning.
The first half was a defensive battle, with neither team able to find the back of the net in the first 45 minutes. Grace Haskell immediately tested Swarthmore keeper Lila Travers with a blast on frame in the first minute, resulting in a corner kick for Haverford. The Fords started strong offensively with the momentum on the side of the visitors with some budding pressure, but Madeline Dosen missed high in the fourth minute. Swarthmore later had several opportunities, including a shot by Callie Stoltz that was saved by Billups in the 13th minute, and a shot by Ava Gizzie that was also saved by Billups in the 28th minute.
The intensity began to ramp up in the second half. Alli Zitelli saw a corner kick clang off the post in the 55th minute before Charlotte Carleton hit the crossbar with a lofting shot from the top of the 18 just moments later. Swarthmore kept the pressure on, earning another corner in the 57th minute before Billups made a stellar diving save on a shot from Celia Kanellakos.
On a counterattack, Olivia Daulerio used her signature speed to sprint down the left flank and into the box. She made a quick move toward goal but was forced to retreat as the back line swarmed. Daulerio was at the far corner of the 18-yard box when she was brought down by a Swarthmore defender. A penalty was called, and Phoebe Garfield stepped up and calmly buried the attempt, marking her fifth goal of the season, to put Haverford in the lead in the 61st minute.
Swarthmore responded, finding the equalizer in the 74th minute. A strong shot from Ava Gizzie was initially saved by a lunging Billups, but the redirection bounced in front of the goalmouth, where a charging Nicole Jensen was able to slot the rebound past Billups and into the back of the net, tying the game at 1-1 with her first tally of the year.
The Garnet searched for the go-ahead goal, unleashing a trio of shots from Sydney Ross, Gizzie, and Jensen in quick succession, along with off-target attempts from Zitelli and Gizzie in the 80th and 82nd minutes, respectively. Although none of those attempts were on frame, the Swarthmore defense contained Haverford well, holding the Fords without a shot in the final 30 minutes of the contest to secure the draw.
Swarthmore held a 16-3 edge in shots and a 7-2 lead in corner kicks. Billups made four saves for the Fords in the stalemate.
With the focus now shifting to postseason action, the Fords will head to Lancaster on Tuesday, November 5. Haverford and Franklin & Marshall tied in their previous matchup, a high-scoring 3-3 affair on September 25.