HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Fords got a pair of goals from Juliana Morgan-Trostle but it wasn't enough as the Haverford College field hockey team fell, 4-3, to second-ranked Lebanon Valley College in non-conference action Thursday afternoon under rainy skies at Swan Field.
Mary Hobbs' 11th goal of the season pulled Haverford (8-4) even with Lebanon Valley (13-0) six minutes after the Dutchmen had put the first tally on the scoreboard in the 18th minute.
Morgan-Trostle put the Fords ahead six minutes later with her eighth of the year, eventually allowing Haverford to take a 2-1 lead into the intermission.
The undefeated Dutchmen scored three consecutive goals through the opening 15 minutes of second-half action, though, to build a two-goal cushion, which came in handy for the visitors.
With less than eight minutes remaining in the contest, Morgan-Trostle notched her second of the game to bring the Fords one shot away from sending the game into overtime.
The junior almost found that marker herself with a shot on an open net with 2:03 on the clock, but LVC defender Rachel Pantalone made a diving defensive save at the goal line to preserve the visitor's lead.
Morgan-Trostle took one last crack at tying things up but her shot at the 69:08 mark was blocked away by another defender and Lebanon Valley was able to push the ball out of their defensive end for the remainder of the game to escape with the win.
Haverford made the most of its opportunities in the opening 35 minutes scoring on the only two shots the team mustered while the Dutchmen whacked away with 13 shots. Of those, seven made it on goal where goalkeeper Maggie Cronin stopped six after allowing one early goal.
Second half play was filled with back and forth, end to end rushes by both teams and each came out of the final 35 minutes with 12 shots apiece.
Cronin finished with nine saves for Haverford while LVC goalie Christine Poletti registered four saves in the win.
The Fords will jump back into Centennial Conference action for the remainder of their schedule beginning with Saturday's 1 p.m. home contest against Franklin & Marshall College.
