Box Score LANCASTER, Pa. – No. 2 Franklin & Marshall shut down visiting Haverford 3-0 in Centennial Conference (CC) field hockey action on Saturday afternoon at Tylus Field. The Diplomats remain perfect on the year at 10-0, 5-0 CC with the win, while the Fords drop to 5-5, 1-3 CC.
F&M jumped out on top in the sixth minute of play, as Katie Cecere tallied her eighth score of the year with a close-range look at goal on the right side. Lauren Eastman played a diagonal pass from the left to Cecere, who turned and swiped it into the open cage for a 1-0 Diplomat edge.
The Diplomats continued to apply pressure deep in Haverford territory, earning six penalty corners in the ensuing 15 minutes before capitalizing once again in the 23rd minute. With the ball bouncing loose in the box near the goal line, Audrey Buckman collected the ball and touched it home to give F&M a 2-0 cushion heading into the intermission.
After being held to just one shot in the opening 35 minutes, the Fords came out aggressively in the second stanza, but the F&M backline prevented any dangerous chances from occurring in the circle. Haverford's defense was solid as well, however, keeping the visitors within striking distance for much of the second half.
The back-and-forth play continued throughout the early and middle stages of the second, until the Diplomats put the finishing touches on the victory with a tally in the 61st minute. Grace McCurdy rocketed the ball from the top of the circle towards net, where Maria Guarisco was in the right spot to deflect it into the cage for the final 3-0 margin of victory.
Following Guarisco's score, her team-leading ninth of the year, the Diplomats dominated the possession and held the Fords without a shot for the remainder of the contest.
Goalkeeper Avery Koep (9-0) was unchallenged in the win, while the Fords' Lindsey Lopes (5-5) turned back eight shots in the loss.
F&M returns to action on Wednesday with a non-conference matchup at Messiah at 7:00 p.m.
