GETTYSBURG, Pa. — The 23rd-ranked Haverford College field hockey team (11-1, 5-0 CC) edged host Gettysburg (6-6, 1-3 CC) in a thrilling 2-1 victory decided by a penalty shootout on Saturday afternoon at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. The win extends the Fords' unbeaten start to a program-best 11-1 record and matches their longest winning streak in school history at eight straight.
Both teams traded defensive stands early as Haverford goalkeeper Steph Ionescu and Gettysburg's Emilia Saccento turned away several first-quarter chances. The Fords earned a pair of early penalty corners, but attempts from Erica Pardón and Naomi York went wide, keeping the contest scoreless after one period.
Haverford broke through in the second quarter when Louisa Coughlin converted off a penalty corner at 18:44, assisted by Pardón. Gettysburg answered just before halftime, as Cassie DeBlieck finished a feed from Sabrina Post to level the score at 1-1 heading into the break.
The Fords controlled possession for much of the second half, generating multiple penalty corners and quality looks at goal, but Saccento stood tall in the cage for the Bullets. Ionescu countered with key saves of her own to keep the match even through regulation and two tense 10-minute overtime periods.
With the score still tied after 80 minutes, the contest moved to a penalty shootout. Haverford once again turned to sophomore goalkeeper Steph Ionescu, whose growing reputation as a shootout specialist stems from her breakout performances last season that helped lift the Fords to the Centennial Conference tournament. Now firmly established as the starter, Ionescu delivered a commanding display, stopping five of six Gettysburg attempts to preserve the victory.
The shootout opened with Gettysburg's Sam Woolery denied by Ionescu, who came off her line to smother the early attempt. Erica Pardón capitalized on Haverford's first opportunity, calmly slotting past Saccento to give the Fords the edge. Ionescu then turned aside Sofia Scalzo's effort, but Haverford couldn't extend the lead as York's shot was stopped.
Both defenses held firm. Ionescu denied Margaret-Ann Graves, while Lily Gover was stopped by the Gettysburg keeper. Cassie DeBlieck finally broke through for Gettysburg in the fourth round, tying it at one apiece. When Poppy Swallow's shot was saved, tension mounted. Ionescu again came up big on Gettysburg's fifth attempt, stopping Sabrina Post, but Haverford's chance to win in regulation rounds slipped away as Abigail Trapp's effort went fruitless.
Deadlocked after five rounds, the shootout moved to sudden victory. Pardón was called upon again and converted, burying her second of the frame to put Haverford ahead. That set the stage for Ionescu, who sealed the win with her fifth stop of the shootout, turning away DeBlieck to clinch the dramatic triumph. It was another signature moment for Ionescu whose clutch goalkeeping propelled Haverford to its eighth straight victory.
Pardón finished with six shots, including five on target, and added an assist. Coughlin scored once on her lone attempt, while Holly Vincent contributed five shots, two on goal. Ionescu recorded six saves on 12 shots faced through 80 minutes before her shootout heroics.
DeBlieck tallied Gettysburg's lone goal, with Post providing the assist. Saccento made nine saves while allowing just one goal on 15 shots faced.
Haverford returns to action on Wednesday, October 15, traveling to Washington College for a 7 p.m. Centennial Conference matchup in Chestertown, Md., where the Fords will look to set a new program record for consecutive victories.
