WASHINGTON, D.C. – Harvard women's ice hockey battled in one of its best efforts of the season, coming up just short in a narrow 3-1 loss to the No. 4 Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Crimson (1-10-1, 0-8-1 ECACH) hung in with the Gophers for all 60 minutes, getting a goal from Gwyn Lapp and a number of quality looks in the contest. The Gophers hung on in the end to esacpe with the 3-1 result.
 
Junior goaltender Alex Pellicci made 41 saves in the crease to lead the defensive effort.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Crimson and the Gophers opened up the D1 in DC Tournament this afternoon, playing the first of four contests in the nation's capital.
• Harvard created two early scoring chances with great drives to the net in the first period. The first from Ellie Bayard, who chipped a shot just over the crossbar and the second from Maria Pape, who took the puck through the zone and shoved a backhand shot off the pad of the Minnesota goaltender.
• Minnesota managed to sneak one past Pellicci midway through the period to take a 1-0 lead.
• The Crimson defense held off the Gopher attack well in the first period, blocking six shots in front of Pellicci.
• The Crimson tied the game in the second period after Gwyn Lapp tipped in a shot from the point by Kaley MacDonald. Lapp's third of the season knotted the score at one a piece halfway through regulation.
• The Gophers took the lead late in the period on a powerplay goal. Pellicci cleaned up 14 shots in the second period to increase her game total to 26 saves.
• The Crimson pressed hard in the third period, looking for the tying goal. The team created a number of quality scoring looks but couldn't get one across the line. Eva Dorr nearly had the game-tying goal on the board after shoving the puck onto the goal line, but the Minnesota keeper dove across the crease to put a glove on the loose puck and save the score.
• Pellicci made another 15 saves in the third period to keep the Crimson in the running. The Gophers got its third and final tally midway through the final frame on the powerplay.
• Despite the Crimson's best effort down the stretch, the game would hold at 3-1 when the final horn sounded.

 

HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS

• Gwyn Lapp scored her third goal of the season in the second period.
• Kaley MacDonald and Ellie Bayard collected assists on the play.
• Alex Pellicci had 41 saves in the game in an incredible effort between the pipes.
• Maria Pape blocked a team-high three shots in front of Pellicci.
• Harvard blocked 16 shots as a team.
• Eva Dorr, Brooke Manning and Annie Sun all tied for the team lead with two shots on goal.

 

UP NEXT

The Crimson will now turn to face another Minnesota school, the St. Thomas Tommies, tomorrow afternoon. The Crimson's final game in the D1 in DC tournament will begin at 1:00 PM and stream live on YouTube.