Issy Davies (pictured) is second in the Ivy League with a 1.33 GAA (Photo: Gil Talbot).
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Coming off a 6-0 trouncing of UMass Lowell on Tuesday night, the Harvard field hockey team (6-2, 1-1) will hit the road for games at Brown (4-2, 1-1) and Boston University (4-4) this weekend. The Ivy League battle against the Bears will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4, with the short trek to BU following on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 3 p.m.
Ivy League Digital Network
After an incredibly successful inaugural year that saw over 1,000 events streamed live, the Ivy League Digital Network has returned for 2014-15, providing fans with unprecedented coverage of the Ivy League.
Multiple subscription options are available to fans including school-specific and league-wide passes. To learn more about the Ivy League Digital Network or to sign-up today, click here.
Social Stream
Use the all new Social Stream on GoCrimson.com to stay connected with the Crimson on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube this year. The Social Stream brings the conversation from all four platforms into one convenient location, allowing fans of all Harvard Athletics teams to monitor the action in real time.
About Harvard
The Crimson was firing on all cylinders through the first 35 minutes of action against UMass Lowell Tuesday. Harvard scored six goals in the first frame on its way to its second shutout victory of the year. The six goals were the most scored by a Crimson team since the 2010 season-opener against Holy Cross.
Junior Elizabeth Jacobson led the way against the River Hawks, posting her first career hat trick, while senior Kaitlyn Boudah lit the lamp twice, giving both players four goals this year. Sophomore Marissa Balleza scored the first goal of the game and has six this season, fifth-most in the Ivy League. With 13 points on the year, Balleza is sixth in the Ancient Eight. Freshman Ellie Cookson continues to make an impact setting up goal-scorers, leading the team and tying for third in the conference, with seven helpers.
In her first year as the Crimson's starting goalkeeper, Issy Davies has earned her spot among the League's best. With just 10 goals allowed and a 1.33 goals-against average, she ranks second among the Ancient Eight's netminders. The Crimson defense has been almost impenetrable throughout the year, giving up more than one goal in just two games, while also posting shutouts of Holy Cross and UMass Lowell.
Series History: Brown
The Crimson carries a 21-12-6 advantage in the all-time series against Brown. In the last seven meetings, Harvard has come away the victor in five of them, with the Bears needing overtime to earn their only two wins during that span. Last season's meeting was one of those Brown wins, as junior Hannah Rogers scored three minutes into the extra period, giving the Bears the 2-1 victory.
About the Bears
While Harvard enter the weekend at 1-1 in the Ivy League, the Bears are still in search of its first conference win, having lost to Columbia, 4-0, and at Dartmouth, 6-1. Brown and Dartmouth faced off in Hanover, N.H. last weekend with the Big Green racing out to a 5-0 first half lead before sophomore Jaclyn Torres scored Brown's lone goal of the game with just over a minute left in the first half.
Senior Meghan O'Donnell is the only Bear with more than five points, standing at 11. She leads the team with four goals and three assists. Torres is second on the Brown roster with five points on two goals and an assist. Senior Shannon McSweeney has played all six games in the cage for Brown, posting a 2.13 GAA and 331 saves as a senior.
Series History: Boston University
The Crimson and Terriers have met 29 times since 1975 with BU holding a 12-16-1 advantage in the all-time series. Sunday's meeting will be the first since 2009 between the Beantown schools. Harvard won four straight meetings from 2001-04, but the Terriers have won the last five meetings from 2005-09.
About the Terriers
The Terriers are coming off a 2-1 loss on September 26 to Northeastern and will make a trip down to Bucknell on Saturday, Oct. 4 before Sunday's battle with the Crimson. The loss to Northeastern dropped BU to 4-4 on the year, but its three prior losses all came against nationally-ranked opponents, including Northwestern, Stanford and Boston College. BU does have wins over Ohio, Pacific, Patriot League foe Lafayette and Yale, but needed overtime to get past the Bulldogs.
With five goals, sophomore Amanda Cassera paces the Terriers with 10 points. Junior Sofi Laurito has a team-best three assists to go with a pair of goals to sit second on the BU squad with seven points. Senior Valentina Cerda has started all eight games in goal for the Terriers, making 37 stops en route to posting a 1.88 GAA.
Ivy League Weekly Honors
Sept. 9 - Noel Painter – Honor Roll
Sept. 16 – Ellie Cookson, Issy Davies – Honor Roll
Sept. 23 – Ellie Cockson, Marissa Balleza – Honor Roll
Sept. 30 – Marissa Balleza – Honor Roll
