HAVERFORD, PA:  (Sept. 4, 2010)  In a battle of equally matched teams, each post-season tested from a season ago, the Haverford College Ford's women's soccer team held on for a 2-1 victory over Arcadia University in today's opening game of the Haverford Kick Off Classic at Walton Field. 

With the two teams returning near full lineups from last season, the Fords offense produced the game's first score at 10:54 into today's game.  Returning all-Centennial forward Katie VanAken sent a pair of shots toward Arcadia's returning sophomore all conference keeper Jackie Law (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood), who stopped the first two but lost the third shot from the Ford's Sara Andrade in a scramble in the box around the 6 resulting in a 1-0 lead for the host Fords.  Three minutes later, VanAken found an opening but her shot and rebound were both turned away by Law. 

Arcadia's Kyrastin Cook (Murrysville, PA/Franklim Towne Charter) connected for a shot, but it carried wide left at 38:54 and at 39:21 first year Shelby Smith (North East, MD/North East) laced a shot in on returning all Centennial senior keeper Kayleigh Herrick-Reynolds who made the stop.  The first period ended 1-1 on the scoreboard with shots in Haverford's favor 8-2. 

Arcadia would change the scoreboard first in the second half when at 58:56, the Knights were awarded a 15 yard free kick as a result of penalty by the Fords.  Arcadia returning all conference senior mid Katie O'Malley (Coatesville,PA/Coatesville Area) sailed her shot into the high left corner of the goal to knot the score at 1-1. 

The score remained tied until 67:28 when Haverford's Michele Bounora fed VanAken who played the ball through the box to Meg Boyer for the go-ahead goal, putting the Fords up 2-1.  On the ensuing possession, Arcadia first year Emily Proper (Coxsackie, NY/Coxsackie-Athens) connected on the ball but her shot was turned aside by Herrick-Reynolds, who also turned away Arcadia's eventual last chance, a shot by O'Malley at 79:20 to preserve the 2-1 season opening win for her Fords. 

The Fords led Arcadia in shots 11-6 and corner opportunities 3-1.  Law made 6 saves through regulation for the Knights who drop to 0-2 on the season.  The team returns to play tomorrow at 4:30pm in the consolation game, facing the loser of today's second contest between Eastern and Rutgers-Camden.