HANOVER, N.H. – Harvard women's ice hockey opened the 2023-24 season tonight at Thompson Arena, battling its ECAC and Ivy League rival, Dartmouth in the first contest of the year. After a hard-fought battle from both sides, the Crimson (0-1-0, 0-1-0 ECAC) came out on the wrong side of a 4-2 result.
 
Kayley Crawford scored her first career goal and Gabi Davidson Adams started strong with a goal of her own in the narrow loss.
 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Crimson saw its first action of the 2023-24 season tonight at Thompson Arena against the Dartmouth Big Green.
• The new Landry Family Head Coach for Harvard women's ice hockey, Laura Bellamy, was behind the bench for her first official game as the leader of the Crimson.
• Dartmouth had the first chance after the puck dropped, putting a shot on net that was saved by Alex Pellicci. After a few more attempts from Dartmouth, the Crimson took control of the puck and created a number of quality looks on the Big Green net.
• Jenna MacDonald had two shots reach the Dartmouth goaltender on the powerplay and Hannah Chorske also had two shots saved in the period.
• The Big Green stole the first goal of a game after a bouncing puck deflected off a skate and into the net.
• Pellicci cleaned up all the other attempts thrown her way, making seven saves in the first period.
• Shots were even at eight apiece after the first. 
• Eva Dorr, Mia Biotti and Shannon Hollands had the Crimson flying out of the break, recording shots on goal in the first four minutes of the second period.
• It was Gabi Davidson Adams who tallied the first goal of the season for the Crimson, squeaking a wrist shot past the Big Green goaltender halfway through the second period, tying the score at one.
• Momentum was on the Crimson's side for most of the remainder of the period. Pellicci made another seven saves in the following ten minutes of play after the GDA strike. 
• Despite her best efforts the Big Green managed to net the go-ahead goal with just .7 seconds left in the period, taking a 2-1 lead after two periods. 
• 1:18 into the third period, it appeared that Dartmouth scored its third goal of the night after a scrum in front of the Harvard net. After a successful challenge from Coach Bellamy, the goal was wiped from the scoreboard. Dartmouth was then awarded a penalty shot after it was deemed that a Harvard skater covered the puck in the crease. The Big Green would convert on the penalty shot attempt, taking a 3-1 lead after a lengthy pause in play.
• Kayley Crawford made the first move in Harvard's comeback attempt, hammering home a rebound. The first collegiate goal for Crawford cut the Dartmouth lead to just one with ten minutes to play.
• Dartmouth fought back, getting another goal at 15:14 in the period to take a 4-2 lead.
• Four Harvard shots were saved down the stretch as the Crimson comeback attempt fell short. Dartmouth skated off with the win after a hard-fought battle on the ice in Hanover.  

 

HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS

• Kayley Crawford netted the first goal of her career in the third period.
• Gabi Davidson Adams recorded the first goal of the season for the Crimson in the second period.
• Zoe Boosamra notched her first career point with an assist on the GDA goal.
• Sophie Ensley and Eva Dorr were credited with the assists on the Crawford goal.
• Alex Pellicci made 23 saves in net to backstop the effort.
• Hannah Chorske had a team-high five shots on goal.
• Chorske also led the team with 11 faceoff wins.
• Jenna MacDonald had a team-high three blocked shots.

 

UP NEXT

The Crimson will open up Bright-Landry Hockey Center next Friday night (Oct. 20) when it hosts Union at 6:00 PM. Harvard will then turn to play RPI at 3:00 PM on Saturday (Oct. 21). Both games will stream live on ESPN+.