ITHACA, N.Y. — The No. 21 Haverford College field hockey team (0-2) concluded its weekend stint in Upstate New York on Sunday afternoon, falling to Ithaca (3-0) by a 2-0 final at Higgins Stadium despite controlling much of the possession and generating a steady stream of attacking opportunities throughout the matinee contest.
The Fords held a commanding 19-2 advantage in shots, including a 13-2 edge in shots on goal, and earned nine penalty corners compared to just one for the Bombers. Ithaca goalkeeper Maeve Clark proved to be the difference for the hosts, turning aside 12 shots, while the Bombers' back line also recorded a defensive save to keep Haverford off the scoreboard.
Ithaca put Haverford in an early hole, scoring on its first shot and ultimately one of just two attempts in the entire contest. Just 1:35 into the opening quarter, Brooke Snider sent a long entry into the circle that Toni Ierardi redirected into the cage, giving the Bombers a quick 1-0 advantage.
Forced to chase the game from the opening minutes, Haverford maintained its composure and quickly took control of the run of play. The Fords responded with six consecutive shots during the remainder of the first quarter. Louisa Coughlin and Poppy Swallow forced back-to-back saves from Clark following a penalty corner in the fifth minute before Erica Pardón tested the Ithaca goalkeeper three times over the next seven minutes. Clark denied all three attempts to preserve the early advantage.
Haverford continued to dictate possession in the second quarter, holding Ithaca without a shot for the entire period. The Fords earned consecutive penalty corners in the opening minute of the frame, while Coughlin had an attempt blocked by the Ithaca defense. Pardón again put a shot on cage in the 19th minute, but Clark came up with another save as the Bombers carried their 1-0 lead into halftime.
The pattern continued after the break. Mena Kazista forced Clark into a save in the 34th minute before an Alice Stein attempt was blocked moments later. Despite Haverford continuing to control possession and apply pressure, Ithaca capitalized on its only penalty corner of the afternoon. Snider converted off a feed from Abby Hennessy at 42:25 to double the Bombers' advantage to 2-0.
The Fords immediately went back on the attack. Reese Dewhirst and Pardón each put shots on goal in the closing minutes of the third quarter, but Clark turned aside both attempts.
Haverford continued to press throughout the fourth quarter and produced a furious late push in search of a breakthrough. Pardón forced another save from Clark in the 56th minute before Dewhirst put an attempt on cage following a penalty corner with just over two minutes remaining. Stein followed with a shot that had Clark out of position, but Amelia MacDonald made a defensive save on the goal line to preserve the shutout. Lily Gover followed with another attempt, and Pardón forced Clark into one final save off a penalty corner try as time expired.
Pardón spearheaded the Haverford attack throughout the afternoon, accounting for nine of the Fords' 19 shots and putting seven attempts on goal. Coughlin added three shots, while Dewhirst and Stein each registered two. Haverford held Ithaca without a shot in both the second and fourth quarters and conceded just two attempts over the full 60 minutes of action.
Ithaca's defensive unit ultimately held firm, as Clark's 12 saves and MacDonald's defensive stop kept the Fords off the scoreboard. Haverford concluded its two-game Upstate New York trip having allowed just three goals on only seven opposing shots.
The Fords now return to Swan Field on Wednesday, September 9, welcoming No. 25 TCNJ for a 7 p.m. matchup.
