PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – No. 21 Harvard women's water polo opened its 2022 season with a two-game sweep of Villanova, posting victories of 20-11 and 16-4. The Crimson (2-0) was originally slated to play Iona in game two, as it was eventually moved to a classic double-header with the Wildcats (0-2). The fixture with Iona has been canceled with no reschedule date.
Game 1: Harvard 21, Villanova 10
Alexis Kieckhafer got the start in net for the Crimson in game one, and Harvard opened its 2022 scoring account through
Brooke Hourigan at the 3:58 mark in the first. A goal from
Kaity Greenwald and then two from
Grace Thawley had the Crimson ahead 4-3 after the first quarter. The same troika of Hourigan, Thawley and Greenwald would get on the scoresheet in the second period, as
Dany Zapata netted her first career-goal just before the break. Harvard held a 9-6 halftime with three saves from Kieckhafer.
Anne-Charlotte Gillard got the nod in net for the second half, making her collegiate debut for the Crimson.
Ella Prentice and
Inde Halligan scored within the first few minutes of the second half, followed up by another from Zapata.
Evan Tingler capped-off a 3-0 Harvard run to pull out to a 14-8 advantage with 2:42 left in the third. With the breathing space, Harvard was able to take control in the final quarter. Thawley, Zapata and Hourigan would add goals in the final frame, securing the 20-11 victory behind four saves from Gillard in the final 16.
Harvard Highlights Game 1
Game 2: Harvard 16, Villanova 4
The Crimson picked up where it left off in game one, getting out to a 3-0 advantage in the first eight minutes after an
Erin Kim goal with 13 seconds remaining in the first.
Zoe Banks drew the start in goal, making three saves to shutout the Wildcats in the first period.
Borden Wahl netted her third goal of the day to begin the second period, and
Evan Tingler would add her second and third of the game to make it 6-0. The first-year duo of
Erin Kim and
Kaity Greenwald would goals before halftime, propelling Harvard to a 9-1 advantage.
The second half brought more of the same, with the Crimson posting a second perfect defensive period. Harvard outscored Villanova 5-0 in the third period, highlighted by goals from
Grace Thawley,
Dany Zapata and
Inde Halligan.
Jaiden Miller and
Sasha Constandse would add their first goals of the season in the fourth, getting Harvard out to a 16-2 lead. The Wildcats were able to add a couple late goals, making the final score 16-4, as the Crimson completed the doubleheader sweep.
Harvard Highlights Game 2
- Junior goalie Zoe Banks made six saves in net to hold the Wildcats to four goals.
- First-year Erin Kim netted a hat-trick to go along with two steals.
- Junior Evan Tingler totaled three goals while leading the Crimson with two assists and three steals.
Game Notes
- Harvard opens its season with a 2-0 record for the fourth straight season. The Crimson got off to a 5-0 start in 2020 before suffering a defeat.
- The Crimson took care of business on the power-play, posting a 13-for-25 (52%) scoring percentage with the advantage.
- Harvard improves to 29-2 all-time against Villanova, bringing its current winning streak to 26 games against the Wildcats.
What's Next?
Harvard comes home to host four games as part of the Bruno Classic on Feb. 5-6 at Blodgett Pool. The Crimson will welcome No. 17 Wagner at 10 a.m. and No. 24 Cal Baptist at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday before taking on Pomona-Pitzer (9:00 a.m.) and La Salle (3:00 p.m.) on Sunday. All games across the weekend will be broadcast on ESPN+.
