HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College field hockey team (4-0) outlasted visiting DeSales (2-1) in overtime on Wednesday evening at Swan Field, as Ravenel Davis found the game-winning goal in the first overtime period to keep Haverford undefeated. Anna Kirn rattled the back of the cage twice, her second career two-goal contest, while Hannah Roth was victorious between the pipes, making five saves.
The scoring opened in the second quarter as DeSales executed a corner play to perfection with Grace DeThomas inserting the attempt and then finding the redirection from Ashlee Jopp to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute of action. Undaunted, Haverford found the equalizer in the 23rd minute of the contest. Davis sent a cross in and Anna Bradley peppered the cage with a shot that was saved but found the waiting stick of Kirn on the redirection, as Kirn beat the keeper with a one-timer to tie the score at 1-1. Kirn also added Haverford's go-ahead goal in the 30th minute, scoring just before halftime as a centering pass from Olivia Ahart found its way to her stick yet again. Kirn slotted the shot attempt home to send Haverford to the intermission with the lead.
Tyra Wingle took advantage of a solid through-pass from Alicia Shaffer in the 41st minute, dribbling into the circle and finishing past Roth to tie the score at 2-2. Haverford had a strong chance to take the lead in the waning moments of the game, but were unsuccessful in converting a penalty stroke in the 58th minute.
The contest went into the 7v7 overtime period and The Fords scored on the first offensive chance for either team. Davis created the chance almost entirely by herself as she collected the ball in the defensive third and twirled her way through the DeSales pressure. After she reached midfield, the senior captain turned on another gear and broke through the back line of the Bulldogs, and with just two defenders left to beat, sprinted into the circle as the defenders furiously chased her down.
Davis evaded their sticks and was left with just the DeSales goalkeeper Gianna Duddy to beat. After centering the ball and getting Duddy off her line, Davis craftily slotted a shot towards the far post to send Haverford to sudden victory. The Richmond, Va. product had a game-best six shots on the evening, with five on frame. As of the end of Wednesday's contest, Davis leads the Centennial Conference in goals (5) and is second in points (10). Wingle, the newly minted NFHCA National Offensive Player of the Week, had five shots including four on target for the Bulldogs.
Haverford and DeSales have now met twice in the history of the two programs, with each contest a 3-2 overtime decision. Haverford reversed a DeSales victory in Haverford from 2004 on Wednesday night. Field hockey will next return to action on Saturday, September 11 with a trip to Juniata. The contest is slated to begin at 4 p.m. Haverford is making its first trip to Huntingdon in program history after the two sides last met on Swan Field in 2019, a 2-1 overtime win for the Fords.
Coast to Coast for the GWG!
— Haverford College Athletics (@HCFords_Sports) September 8, 2021
Ravenel Davis lifts @HCFords_FH over DeSales in OT! #GoHCFords #CCFH #D3FH pic.twitter.com/IyMVKEAQjz