HAVERFORD, Pa. – The third-seeded Haverford College men's soccer team and sixth-seeded Muhlenberg battled through 110 minutes of intense action before the Mules edged the Fords 5–3 in penalty kicks in the First Round of the Centennial Conference Championship on Tuesday afternoon at historic Walton Field. The match marked Haverford's first postseason appearance since 2019. With the result, the Fords closed the 2025 campaign with a 10-0-10 record—finishing an entire season undefeated for the first time since 1945.
The match began with high energy from both sides. Haverford's Kieran Kunihiro had an early header chance off a Juan Rivera corner, narrowly missing the frame just minutes into the contest. Muhlenberg countered with quick opportunities from Brady Sutton and Saleem Diakite, both of which were blocked by Haverford's back line. The Fords nearly opened the scoring in the 38th minute when Jonathan D'Amour's shot deflected off the post, keeping the match scoreless at halftime.
Muhlenberg struck first in the 60th minute when Owen Zoeller unleashed a stunning long-range effort from 35 yards out that dipped past goalkeeper Grayson Benson to give the visitors a 1–0 advantage. The Fords continued to press for an equalizer and were rewarded in the 82nd minute. After Charles Sharp was fouled just outside the box, Rivera stepped up to the ensuing free kick and curled a right-footed strike around the wall and into the back corner to even the score at 1–1. Benson preserved the tie late in regulation with a critical save on Muhlenberg's Elie Khalil off a free kick strike in the 89th minute.
Both overtime periods featured tense, end-to-end play. Benson denied Khalil once again in the 92nd minute before Haverford's Andrew Fritz and Josh Brown each sent efforts wide following a Rivera corner. The Fords' best chance in the second extra period came in the final minute, when Brown's last-second shot was stopped by goalkeeper Taye Edwards, sending the match to penalty kicks.
In the shootout, Muhlenberg converted all five of its attempts. Omar Lopez and Sam Roberts scored first for the Mules, while Rivera's opening attempt for Haverford was saved after Edwards dove to his right denying the senior's attempt. Kunihiro and D'Amour both converted to keep the Fords close, and after Zoeller and Max Knopf traded goals, Khalil buried the clincher to secure a 5–3 advantage in penalties and send Muhlenberg to the next round.
Rivera scored Haverford's lone goal of the night on his only shot on target. Knopf led the team with four attempts, while Benson made three saves in a strong 110-minute performance. Zoeller netted the Mules' regulation goal, while Khalil recorded three shots on target. Edwards tallied three saves in 86 minutes of play, with Ben Mulford adding one stop in relief.
The dramatic playoff contest concluded what was a historic season for Haverford men's soccer. The Fords finished the year undefeated at 10-0-10, marking the program's first unbeaten season since 1945. Among the many highlights, the team improved its win total by eight from the 2024 campaign, while showcasing one of the nation's stingiest defenses—allowing just nine goals all season. Both Grayson Benson and Charles Sharp earned Centennial Conference Player of the Week honors during the year, showcasing the team's balanced excellence on both ends of the field. With three of their top five scorers set to return, the Scarlet and Black will look to build on this season's momentum as they aim for another Centennial Conference playoff berth in 2026.
