Washington College Shoremen men’s soccer fell to Haverford College, 1-0, on Oct. 3, 2026, in a Centennial Conference game at Walton Field in Haverford, Pennsylvania. Austin Branch scored the only goal with 5:22 remaining in the second half, assisted by Charles Sharp.
Branch scored from 10 yards out into the lower right corner for his first goal of the season. The goal ended a scoreless match and gave Haverford College a lead it protected through the final minutes.
Early Offensive Pressure from Washington College
Washington College generated early pressure, but Haverford College kept the Shoremen off the scoreboard. Walker Patino had a shot blocked in the 11th minute, and Scott O’Donnell sent a shot wide in the 20th minute.
O’Donnell later had another attempt saved by the Haverford goalkeeper, while Tucker Sprano had a shot blocked in the 43rd minute. Washington College goalkeeper Hannes Budde made saves in the 33rd and 59th minutes to keep the match scoreless into halftime and the second half.
Simone Perin hit the post in the 64th minute as the Shoremen continued searching for an opening goal. Washington College finished with 10 shots and three corner kicks. Budde played 90 minutes, made two saves, and allowed one goal.
Late Pressure Comes Up Short
Washington College applied pressure after Branch put Haverford College ahead. Niland Gallo and Jah-Torre Bailey had shots saved in the 85th and 87th minutes, respectively, while late attempts by Sprano and Patino were blocked.
Wilken Bauer had a shot saved with one second remaining, but Haverford College preserved the shutout and completed the 1-0 victory. Haverford entered the match with an 8-2-1 overall record and a 2-2-0 Centennial Conference record, while Washington College entered at 2-4-5 overall and 0-3-1 in conference play.
Washington College Shoremen Schedule
The Shoremen are scheduled to return to action Oct. 10, 2026, at 7 p.m. against Johns Hopkins University in an away Centennial Conference men’s soccer game.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Washington College created several opportunities, including Perin’s shot off the post and multiple late chances after Haverford College scored. Budde and the Shoremen defense kept the match scoreless for most of the afternoon, but Branch’s late finish and Haverford’s final defensive stand decided the result.
Source: Original report
