The Dickinson men’s soccer team travelled to Haverford College this past weekend for the Centennial Conference playoffs. The Red Devils finished third in the conference after the regular season, earning a semifinal date with the #2 seed Franklin and Marshall on Saturday, Nov. 7.

Last week in Lancaster, Dickinson spoiled the Diplomats’ senior night in the final matchup of the regular season with a 1-0 victory thanks to a last minute winner from Macsen Pritchard ’18. F&M would be hungry for revenge in the playoff contest.

The Red Devils had the game’s first real chance at goal in the early going. Sophomore forward Will Bracken ’18 was slipped in nicely by Matt Edmonds ’18, but Bracken shot was stopped by the Diplomat keeper Trevor Britton.

After a good F&M attempt sailed over the crossbar, the Red Devils answered quickly as Alfred Hylton-Dei ’16 found Edmonds in a dangerous area, but the defense was able to block the sophomore’s shot and keep the game scoreless going into half.

The game’s lone goal came in the 74th minute, as Dickinson finally capitalized on continued pressure on the Franklin and Marshall goal. Jonathan Harper ’16 served in a Red Devil corner kick that found Pritchard deep at the far post. The senior defender headed the ball back across frame where first-year Ward Van de Water ’19 leaped for the header that bounced off the post and into the top corner.

Behind six saves from junior goalkeeper Jeremy Palcan ’17, Dickinson recorded its second shutout of F&M in as many games. The Red Devils advanced to the conference finals with a date against the host and top seed Haverford.

Sunday’s final was similar in many ways to Dickinson’s semifinal match, with a late winner providing the only goal in a highly contested 1-0 game.

Bracken was dangerous again for the Red Devils in the early going, missing several shots just wide of frame.  Haverford’s game winning goal came in heartbreaking fashion, as the home side earned a controversial free kick 20 yards from goal with less than a minute to play. Will Corkey sent a powerful, dipping shot over the wall and into the far corner past Palcan with only 19 seconds left on the clock, crushing Dickinson’s hopes of a conference title.

While this loss was demoralizing for the surging Red Devils, their strong play to close the season has earned Dickinson its fifth consecutive bid into the NCAA tournament. The Red Devils will travel to Lycoming College where they will go to battle against Rowan University in a first round matchup on Saturday, Nov. 14. Should the Red Devils win, they will play again on Sunday in Williamsport against the winner of Lycoming vs. Johnson & Wales.