CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – No. 15 Field Hockey (5-3, 2-0 Ivy) fell to No. 5 Duke by a score of 3-2 in double overtime on Sunday. In a strange game that had an hour and fifteen-minute delay in the first quarter,
Lucy Leel was able to tie the game late in the fourth quarter to send the Crimson into overtime with the nationally-ranked Blue Devils.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Duke was awarded a corner on their first entry into the offensive zone. Hannah Miller converted after a deflection to give the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead not even a minute into the game.
Harvard tried to quickly respond after earning its first corner of the game. Captain,
Emily Guckian made a ridiculous between-the-legs pass to
Bronte-May Brough who fired a shot that was kicked out from Duke goalie Piper Hampsch.
With 7:49 left on the clock in the first quarter, the game was temporarily suspended due to an injury to a referee. After an hour and fifteen-minute break, the game resumed with the Crimson looking to even the score.
Harvard had three corners through the first half but was only able to generate one shot. Until
Bronte-May Brough who led the team in scoring in 2022, finally broke through on a corner attempt for her first goal of the season. Guckian helped set the ball for Brough who fired a shot that caught a deflection to tie the game at one heading into the half.
Duke scored off another corner attempt with 11:26 left in the third quarter after
Tessa Shahbo made the original stop. Kira Curland picked up the rebound and fired a shot that deflected past the Crimson netminder.
Shahbo made a trio of saves after the go-ahead goal from the Blue Devils with none better than a kick save from the sophomore. Already sprawling out to make one save, Shahbo had to locate the shot through a screen in order to make the impressive stop and keep the score where it was.
With 8:30 left on the clock,
Isa Gooijer found a streaking
Lucy Leel who was able to find some space and get a fantastic look for the Crimson. Leel ran down the left side of the cage and tried to find the right corner but the junior just missed tying the game.
Not long after that, Leel made no mistake on a second opportunity as the Crimson upped the pressure anc the team's leading scorer capitalized on her second chance. Leel worked her way past a Duke defender and faked out Hampsch to finish the highlight reel goal.
Harvard controlled much of the pace late in the third and throughout the fourth as the offense pushed to tie the game. Harvard was awarded two corners after trying the game due to its sustained pressure in the Blue Devils' end.
Leel's goal ended up sending the game against nationally ranked Duke to overtime and was the eighth goal Harvard has scored in the fourth quarter as they continue to show its strength in the fourth quarter.
Shahbo made a diving stop late in the first overtime period to break up the most dangerous look for the Blue Devils in the extra frame.
Duke was awarded three consecutive penalty corners in the double overtime period with
Bronte-May Brough and
Kitty Chapple coming up with huge blocks on the first two attempts. Duke was able to find some open space on the far side of the cage in the third attempt and scored to win the game in double overtime.
NEXT UP
The Crimson travels to New Haven to face the Bulldogs on Friday, Sept. 29 at 5:00 p.m.
