HAVERFORD, Pa. – Haverford scored two first half goals and held the Ursinus women's soccer team to limited scoring chances in a 2-0 Centennial Conference decision.
In the 55th minute, the Bears (4-5-2, 1-4) had a penalty kick opportunity to get within a goal as the Fords were called for a hand ball in the box. Ursinus senior Mackenzie Groff took the spot kick, sending a low shot to the left side of the net, but Haverford goalie Julie Hanss read it perfectly to stave away the visitors' only real scoring prospect.
Haverford (6-3, 3-1) controlled possession, keeping the ball in its offensive end for a majority of the match. The Fords held strong in the front line and midfield, limiting the Bears to one shot aside from Groff's penalty kick. Haverford took 13 shots in the match.
About seven minutes into the contest, Haverford's Grace Mathis put a finishing header on an excellent corner kick delivered on the doorstep of the net by Sydney West to take the early 1-0 lead.
Less than 30 minutes in, a Haverford through ball and then a pass into the middle of the box created a dangerous scoring chance for the Fords but Ursinus sophomore defender Zoe Tesone came up big. Tesone made a fabulous play to deflect an open-net shot by Isabella Gross.
But Haverford found a way through shortly after that. In the 33rd minute, West found the top corner on a perfectly executed angled shot out of sophomore goalie Sabrina Doherty's reach. Abby Crowley assisted the Fords' second goal of the first half.
The Fords took a 2-0 cushion to halftime with all five their shots on goal and limited the Bears in the first half to just one shot by sophomore defender Avery Webster.
Haverford continued working the ball into the Bears' defensive zone out of the break. The Fords had early second half chances as Doherty denied West's opportunity in the box and on another occasion, Katie Safter hit the crossbar in the 53rd minute.
Gross was on the cusp of scoring again as she blasted the post with less than 15 minutes remaining. A few minutes later, Doherty made a heading save on Gross.
Doherty kept the Bears in the match, stopping six shots. Hanss posted a clean sheet with two saves as Haverford picked up its first win over the Bears since 2013.
The Bears travel to Franklin & Marshall Saturday for a 6 p.m. kickoff.