PRINCETON, N.J. – Senior Marissa Balleza has capped her historic weekend performance off by garnering Co-Ivy League Player of the Week honors, as announced by the conference office Monday.
Balleza accumulated five points on two goals and one assist in Harvard's 5-0 trouncing of Cornell Saturday. Those marks helped Balleza become the all-time career points and goals leader in Harvard field hockey history with 44 goals and 103 points.
Her first mark in the box score came when she made a great pass for an Emily Ott goal in the first half against the Big Red. She found the back of the cage for the first time just 17 second into the second half, firing a shot from a tough angle that hit off the goaltenders' blocker and into the cage. She then broke both records when she converted on a penalty stroke in the 53rd minute.
Balleza's 10 goals on the season is tied for second in the Ancient Eight. This week's Player of the Week honor is the second of the season for her and fourth-straight for a Harvard student-athlete. Princeton's Cat Caro shared the award this week with Balleza after recording two hat tricks over the weekend.
Harvard and Princeton, tied atop the Ivy standings with 4-0 records, meet in New Jersey at noon Saturday.