NEW HAVEN, CT. – No. 14 Harvard field hockey defeated Yale (6-3, 3-0 Ivy) for the tenth consecutive game after big third-quarter goals from
Emily Guckian and
Sage Piekarski. Harvard stays unbeaten in Ivy League play and will turn its focus to No. 10 Syracuse on Sunday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Emily Guckian opened the scoring early in the first quarter. Guckian converted for her fourth goal of the season and tied
Lucy Leel for the team-lead in points with 10.
Harvard converted on its sole chance in the first quarter to carry the 1-0 lead into the second.
With both teams battling the elements in the second quarter, Harvard continued to maintain most of the possession through the first thirty minutes as Yale was held without a shot after a quarter and a half.
Yale was awarded its first corner of the game with just over 7:00 minutes left in the second quarter. The Bulldogs shot hit the post off a deflection before the rebound was blocked by
Emily Guckian. Harvard ended up having to defend another penalty corner which they successfully defended to protect the lead in the second quarter.
After generating their first two opportunities of the game Yale picked up the pressure and controlled much of the play for the last five minutes in the second quarter. Poppy Beales scored on a breakaway with just over a minute to play in the second quarter to tie the game heading into halftime.
Harvard was awarded a corner three minutes into the second half after the ball took a weird hop and hit the foot of a Yale defender but was unable to score. Harvard was awarded three corners in the second half after picking up the pressure.
Sage Piekarski scored her fourth goal of the season on a deflection on a
Emily Guckian shot. Piekarski and Guckian have led the Crimson offense in recent weeks.
Right after the Crimson took the lead,
Tessa Shahbo came up with her best stop in recent weeks after a diving stick safe. No stranger to highlight reel saves, Shahbo dove and was able to catch the Yale shot with the end of her stick to protect the lead for Harvard.
Shortly after the tie-breaking goal, Guckian added her second of the game after a great feed from
Megan Joel. Guckian found some room and wired a shot that beat the Yale goaltender to give the Crimson a two-goal lead.
Guckian and Piekarski have scored eight of Harvard's 21 goals this season.
Yale scored to make it 3-2 halfway through the final quarter and was awarded a corner attempt shortly after the goal.
Bronte-May Brough came up with a huge block to preserve the score with 6:15 left on the clock.
NEXT UP
Harvard hosts No. 10 Syracuse at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday in Cambridge. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
