Saturday marked the end of the Haverford field hockey team’s regular season play, but the team still has more games ahead of them. With a 13-5 record, the team is headed to the Centennial Conference playoffs for a second consecutive season, where they are ranked fifth in the conference.
“We worked really hard in the off-season and over the summer to ensure every person on this team was physically and mentally prepared for this season,” explained senior captain Abigail Trapp. The results were immediate; the team started off their season with a dominant 5-0 win versus Easton, and continued to a 3-0 record. Despite a loss in their fourth game, they didn’t let that stop their momentum. The team closed out the non-conference season with three more wins before travelling to Lancaster, PA, to kick off conference play against Franklin & Marshall.
Through the beginning of the conference season, the Fords proved to be just as dominant. After defeating Franklin & Marshall, Muhlenburg, and McDaniel, bringing their overall record to 9-1, the team was ranked #23 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association’s weekly polls. This marked their first appearance on national rankings since 2021, a true testament to the team’s efforts.
Riding a six-game win streak, the Fords took on Ursinus College at their home Swan Field. A tense three quarters saw the score tied at nothing heading into the fourth quarter; finally, at the 51st minute, Haverford junior Louisa Coughlin sank the first goal of the game. Senior captain Naomi York added to the tally in the last few seconds, and the Fords sent the Bears packing with a final score of 2-0, marking the first time that Haverford has beaten Ursinus in program history. Asked about the vital game, Trapp named it a defining moment of the season, emphasizing that it “symbolized the unprecedented willpower, resilience, and strength of this team.”
From there, the Fords continued on to win two more games, setting a program record of nine consecutive wins, and pushing the Fords up in national polls to the #16 spot. Trapp credited the team’s success to their commitment to each other both on and off the field, explaining that “We are invested in each other’s lives and interests beyond sports, which fosters a culture of trust and accountability.”
A late-season slump saw the ambitious team drop four games against Centennial Conference rivals, placing their conference record at 6-4 to end the season. Despite their temporary struggles, the team proved they could turn it around again with their final matchup as they hosted Ithaca College for friends and family weekend and came away with a 2-0 win.
Looking ahead, the Fords are excited and grateful for the opportunity to face Swarthmore in the first round of playoffs. Regardless of the ups and downs of the season, Trapp sees the playoffs as “a fresh start, a chance to build on everything we’ve accomplished and keep pushing to maintain our success.” This is a team that has exceeded expectations and made their mark in Haverford college athletics history; after a momentous season, the postseason is just another challenge that the Fords are determined to face.
