Negrey Navigates Garnet Past Fords 1-0, Playoffs Next
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Garnet forward Natalie Negrey '07 shone on Senior Day, scoring the lone goal as Swarthmore defeated Haverford 1-0 to wrap up the 2006 regular season. With the win, Swarthmore clinches the #3 seed in next weekend's Centennial Conference playoffs, where they will face #2-seed Gettysburg in the semifinal round at Johns Hopkins.
Before the game, Swarthmore honored seniors Negrey, Nicole Oberfoell, and Kasie Groom. The trio leave the program in its best shape ever, having helped the squad towards a record-setting win total and its first ever CC playoff berth this season.
As the season-high crowd of 310 slowly filtered into Clothier Stadium, the teams played a quiet first half. The Garnet finished the period with a 5-1 shot edge and took both of the shots on goal in the opening 45.
Negrey got the Garnet on the board with 3:25 gone by in the second half. The senior came open on the left wing and took a long pass from center midfielder Maggie DeLorme. Negrey took a few dribbles as Ford goalkeeper Lindsay Festa came out to challenge. As Festa closed in, Negrey chipped the ball over her and the ball rolled slowly towards the net and passed over the goal line just before a Ford defender came in with a slide tackle.
Swarthmore continued to apply pressure, outshooting the Fords 7-5 for the period and generally keeping the ball in the Haverford half.
Garnet goalkeeper Lauren Walker '09 survived pair of second-half collisions, holding onto the ball both times on her way to a three-save shutout, her sixth of the season. Festa made fives saves for the Fords.
The Fords mounted a charge in the final 10 seconds, but Garnet defender Cait Mullarkey '09 forced a Ford attacker into an awkward shot which went right to Walker.
The win is Swarthmore's first over Haverford since 2002 (4-0 at Swarthmore) and only the second Garnet win in the last 14 matches between the teams. Haverford holds the overall lead, with a 15-8 record in games between the local rivals.
Swarthmore will make its first-ever Centennial playoff appearance next weekend. Top seed Johns Hopkins will host the tournament, and the Garnet will face Gettysburg on either Friday or Saturday. On September 24, the Bullets downed the Garnet 3-2 in Gettysburg. Swarthmore have the entire week to prepare for what promises to be an exciting re-match.