CARLISLE, Pa. – The fifth-seeded Haverford College men's soccer team (15-3-2) delivered a commanding performance in the Centennial Conference semifinals Friday evening, rolling past second-seeded Dickinson (9-8-2) by a 5-0 score at Miller Memorial Field to advance to the conference championship match for the first time since 2018. The win marks number 15 on the season, the most victories for the Fords since 2018.
Thomas Vanni led the offensive outburst with two goals and an assist, while Josh Brown added a goal and an assist as the Fords secured their second consecutive road victory in the conference tournament. Charles Sharp opened the scoring in the first half, while Jonathan D'Amour capped the five-goal performance in the 76th minute. Grayson Benson recorded three saves to preserve the shutout as Haverford advanced to its first Centennial championship appearance under head coach Kevin Brenner.
The Red Devils established some early pressure, forcing Benson into action three times during the opening 22 minutes. The Haverford goalkeeper denied Charlie Roy in the eighth minute, turned aside an effort from Mika Rafidimahavonjy in the 15th and stopped Henry Schultz in the 22nd to keep the contest scoreless.
Haverford began to settle into the match, with Connor Gustafson testing Dickinson goalkeeper Gavin Marr in the 16th minute. The Fords eventually broke through in the 32nd minute, capitalizing on an opportunity near the top of the penalty area.
At 31:55, Sharp received a short pass from Thomas Bonos and took a few touches to create space inside the box before burying a right-footed shot inside the far post, giving Haverford a 1-0 advantage. The goal was Sharp's 15th of the season, extending his team-leading total.
The Scarlet and Black doubled their advantage just before halftime. Austin Branch lofted a pass toward the penalty area, and the ball took a bounce into the box, where Vanni rose to meet it and headed home Haverford's second goal at 43:09.
The Fords carried the 2-0 lead into the break despite Dickinson holding an 8-4 advantage in first-half shots, with Benson's three saves helping preserve the two-goal cushion.
Haverford emerged from halftime with renewed attacking urgency, taking control of the contest with three unanswered goals over the final 45 minutes.
Vanni struck again in the 58th minute, winning a physical battle for possession along the left flank before accelerating into the penalty area. The midfielder close to the endline unleashed a shot into the back of the net at 57:49, completing his brace and extending Haverford's lead to 3-0.
Just five minutes later, the Fords added another following a long throw-in from Carter Kroenke. Marr punched the ball clear toward the top of the penalty area, where Vanni met it with a first-time effort. Brown redirected the attempt into the back of the net at 62:48 to make it 4-0, with Vanni collecting the assist.
Haverford continued to apply pressure as the second half progressed, and the Fords capped the scoring with an impressive sequence following a corner kick in the 76th minute.
Aiden Lee sent a dangerous effort toward goal that ricocheted off the woodwork, with Brown reacting quickly to keep the play alive. Brown produced an acrobatic toe-poke pass to D'Amour, who hammered home Haverford's fifth goal at 75:49, putting the finishing touches on the emphatic semifinal victory.
The five-goal performance represented Haverford's highest offensive output of the season against a Centennial Conference opponent, with the Fords scoring three times in the second half while holding Dickinson to just three shots after intermission.
Vanni finished with a match-high five shots, including two on goal, while Brown, D'Amour and Gustafson each registered two attempts. Sharp, Vanni, Brown and D'Amour accounted for Haverford's five goals, with Bonos, Branch, Vanni and Brown each credited with an assist.
Haverford finished with a 15-11 advantage in shots, including a 7-3 edge in shots on goal. Both teams earned three corner kicks, while Benson played all 90 minutes in goal to secure his 10th shutout of the season.
The victory sends Haverford to the Centennial Conference championship match for the first time since 2018, continuing a postseason run that began with Tuesday's 2-1 first-round victory at Ursinus. The Fords will now face top-seeded Johns Hopkins, who advanced past sixth-seeded Muhlenberg in the other semifinal, with the conference title and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament on the line.
The championship match is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 8, at 3 p.m. at Johns Hopkins's Homewood Field.
