Soccer: Bryn Mawr pulls away from Friends

Bryn Mawr snapped a 1-1 deadlock in the second half on goals by senior Erica Matz to earn a rainy 3-1 victory over determined Friends on Wednesday afternoon.

The victory put the two-time defending Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland B Conference champs one step closer to completing an unbeaten league slate with only a trip to Garrison Forest on Oct. 21 remaining on the schedule.

The Mawrtians (10-4, 8-0) also clinched the top seed in the upcoming playoffs and will begin postseason play Nov. 1 against an undetermined opponent.

Friends (10-3, 5-3) nabbed the third seed, meaning it would not have to meet Bryn Mawr until the final, provided both teams advance that far.

Sophomore Danielle Hogarth scored the first goal for the Mawrtians, slipping a shot past senior Quaker keeper Aislinn Cook in the 38th minute on a feed from Matz.

By that time, the home team could have easily had a 4-0 advantage, had it not been for Cook's spectacular saves on Hogarth and senior center midfielder Riley Barger.

Bryn Mawr outshot Friends, 18-4, in the first half and 29-7 overall, yet had to battle back after sophomore Abby Corkum tapped in the equalizer in the 49th minute on a ball that momentarily eluded sophomore goalie Zoe Derrickson.

The Mawrtians regained the lead just over three minutes later on Hogarth's perfect corner kick that Matz headed into the net.

The duo repeated the trick — Hogarth to Matz on a corner — in the 76th minute to secure the victory.

"In a one-goal game, you're always in it," fifth-year Bryn Mawr coach Tina Steck said. "To Friends' credit, they never gave up."