HAVERFORD, Pa. - Taking the field for their final Centennial Conference game of the season on Senior Day, the Haverford College men's soccer team was edged in a 2-1 heartbreaker on Walton Field. The Fords (7-9-1, 4-5 CC) opened up the scoring in the 55th minute, but Swarthmore (11-3-2, 5-3-1 CC) equalized in the 65th and then completed the comeback in overtime to snatch the road victory.
Aaron Cohen got the start in goal as one of four seniors making their final appearance on Walton Field. Anthony Walker, Noah Schwab and Michael Lyons were also celebrated on Senior Day prior to the contest as the Class of 2022 helped bring the 2018 Centennial Conference Championship to Haverford and reached the NCAA tournament. Perhaps most impressively, the program was honored by the United Soccer Coaches in 2020 for posting the highest team GPA in the nation, a mark that held true across all three NCAA divisions.
In the 100th meeting between the two teams in what is the oldest rivalry in Division III soccer, both Haverford and Swarthmore looked up for the challenge in the early goings. The game was chippy to start, and emotions were high in the stands and on the field. The five fouls called in the first five minutes of the match were a preview of what was to come between the sides. Although the game was physical, there were no yellow cards registered.
The first half was full of substitutions and battles for possession. Swarthmore outshot Haverford in the first half by a margin of 5-4. However, neither team could get any real momentum in the attacking third. Michael Lyons attempted the first shot for Haverford, but it sailed high over the crossbar in the 19th minute. Swarthmore had a few chances of their own later in the half, but they couldn't get any on the frame until the 32nd minute.
Haverford went ahead early in the second half as Brian Lorenz found Paul-Andre Coulibaly with a perfect through ball in the 56th minute. Coulibaly slipped the ball past the Garnet keeper for his 7th goal of the season. The Fords' objective was to now protect the lead.The equalizer came just ten minutes later, in the 66th minute, when Swarthmore's Brandon Cramblit slotted a goal home for the visitors. The assist went to Woojin Shin.
The match appeared destined for overtime as Haverford reached the extra period for the seventh time this season. Noah Schwab looked to have won it for the Fords just six minutes into overtime, but after his shot beat the keeper, it deflected off the post. In the 98th minute, Swarthmore capitalized on their shot on frame and ended the game. Stathis Kalathias scored a goal on the rebound after Dylan Ioffreda stopped the initial header from Bless Tumushabe.
In total, Swarthmore held a slight 12-11 edge in shots. Coulibaly had three to pace Haverford while three different Swarthmore players tallied a pair of shots. Ioffreda was called into action to make four saves in his 83:04 of work after relieving Cohen early in the first half.
Men's Soccer will now await the release of postseason awards as the season ends after a seventh place finish in the conference, four points out of the final playoff spot.