PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Junior midfielder
Maddie Barkate had three goals, and both junior attack
Riley Campbell and first-year midfielder
Charlotte Hodgson had two scores, but Harvard women's lacrosse fell to No. 14 Penn, 16-8, in an Ivy League Semifinal contest at Dunning-Cohen Champions Field.
Senior captain
Stephanie Hong had four ground balls and three caused turnovers, and Hodgson led the Crimson with three draw controls.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The game started as a good defensive battle, two caused turnovers on the Harvard side from Maggie McCarthy and Charley Meier, and a save by starting goalie Chloe Provenzano (two saves) keeping the Quakers in check in the early stages of the first quarter.
- A late first quarter run gave host Penn a 6-0 lead late in the first quarter before Hodgson fired back across the grain on a great cut from right to left to put Harvard on the board at 2:10 of the quarter. Penn would take a 7-1 lead into the first break.
- Penn's defense continued to hold Harvard in check, as the Quakers owned a 9-1 advantage late in the second quarter until two late goals for Harvard made it a game once again.
- A pass out front from X by sophomore attack Caroline Mullahy to Barkate set up a low shot and a goal at the 3:16 mark.
- Then, with under a minute to play in the half, Barkate struck again, picking up a loose ball outside the crease and firing a shot past Penn goalie Kelly Van Hoesen with :36 left to make it 9-3.
- Harvard continued to battle in the third quarter, further cutting into Penn's lead. At 13:16, Hodgson scored her second of the night on a quick shot off a pass from Callie Hem to make it 9-4.
- Twice more in the quarter Harvard rallied to keep within five goals and had chances to get even closer that were turned away by the Quakers.
- At 10-4, Mullahy found senior Ilana Kofman for a shot from straightaway that found the back of the net at 10:06.
- Then at 11-5, Campbell made a great run into the eight-meter, scoring from the right side at 4:25 to continue Harvard's solid run of play.
- But Penn held the Crimson off the scoreboard over the next 11:46 to hold off the Harvard comeback attempt.
- Campbell's free position goal at 7:39 of the fourth quarter, and Barkate's third of the night with :14 remaining rounded out the scoring for the Crimson.
HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS
- Harvard made its first back-to-back appearances in the Ivy League Tournament since 2016-2017.
- The Crimson held a 12-10 edge in ground balls, and an 8-6 advantage in caused turnovers.
- Sophomore goalie Lizzie Francioli also saw time in net, making two saves.
- Harvard finished the year with a winning record for the first time since the 2016 season.
