CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard field hockey travels across the United States for a pair of exciting match ups this weekend. On Friday, Oct. 11, the Crimson take on Columbia in the Empire State at 3 p.m. in its fourth Ivy League match of the season. Harvard concludes the weekend with a must-see contest on Sunday, Oct. 13, as the Crimson head west to take on No. 2 Northwestern at noon eastern standard time on Big Ten Plus.

CRIMSON UPDATES:

• Harvard is 9-1 this season with a 3-0 mark in Ivy League, the best start to a campaign through 10 matches.
• In the latest Penn Monto/NFHCA Coaches Poll, the Crimson held steady at the No. 9 position, as Harvard also holds the No. 7 spot in the NCAA RPI.
• The Crimson is currently riding a seven-game winning streak, taking a pair of contests against Yale and Boston University last weekend.
• A first half flurry of goals lifted Harvard to its third Ivy League victory of the year, as the Crimson defeated age old rival Yale, 3-1.
• Harvard ended the weekend with a 2-1 win against crosstown rival Boston University, as senior midfielder and team captain Emily Guckian and first-year forward Emily Bronckers netted goals in the third quarter.
• In contests away from home, Harvard is stellar this season, owning a 5-0 mark and a +16-goal differential (18-2) in road contests.
• Harvard and Princeton are the only two programs with perfect marks in Ivy League play this season (3-0).
• Against top competition this season, Harvard is excelling, owning a 4-1 record against teams in the top-25 of the NCAA RPI.
• On the offensive end, Harvard is one of the best sides in the nation, ranking 14^th in goals per game (2.90) and eighth in average scoring margin (1.82).
• The Crimson also boast one of the top defensive units in the country, ranking seventh in save percentage (.804) and tied for sixth in goals allowed (10). Harvard leads the Ivy League in goals allowed as well.
• Head coach Tjerk van Herwaarden is in his 12^th season at helm of the Harvard field hockey program. A four-time Ivy League Coach of the Year, van Herwaarden owns a 140-54 record in his Crimson tenure.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION:

• Columbia brings a 3-6 record to Friday afternoon's contest against Harvard. The Lions are 1-2 in Ivy League action this season.
• Last weekend saw Columbia end a three-game road trip, taking on Penn and Hofstra. An overtime winner from Quakers sank the Lions to a 2-1 defeat, as Columbia bounced back with a 3-0 win at Hofstra.
• One of two undefeated teams in Division I, No. 2 Northwestern is 12-0 heading into Sunday's highly anticipated meeting, receiving 27 first place votes in this week's Penn Monto/NFHCA Coaches Poll.
• The Wildcats earned a pair of Big Ten wins last week, defeating Rutgers, 4-0, and No. 17 Penn State, 7-2.

SERIES HISTORY:

• Friday's showdown at Columbia Field Hockey Stadium will be the 28^th meeting between the Crimson and Lions on the field hockey pitch. Harvard leads the all-time series, 20-6.
• After Guckian opened the scoring in the second minute of the match, junior defender Bronte-May Brough netted a pair of goals in the second quarter in a 3-0 win against Columbia last season.
• The series between Harvard and Northwestern is tied at 1-1, with the first meeting arriving in 2004.
• The Crimson and Wildcats last met in the 2021 NCAA Tournament Semifinals, as Northwestern advanced to the 2021 NCAA National Championship with a 2-1 overtime victory.

YOU SHALL NOT PASS:

• Junior goalkeeper Tessa Shahbo is enjoying a stellar season between the posts.
• In nine starts, Shahbo is seventh in the nation in goals against average (.979) and tied for 11^th in save percentage (.791).
• A native of Surrey, England and a 2023 All-Ivy League honorable mention, Shahbo won Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week honors earlier this season on Sept. 30.

CLUTCH GENE:

• Sophomore midfielder Lara Beekhuis is leading the line on the offensive end for the Crimson this season.
• A native of Laren, Netherlands, Beekhuis leads the Crimson in goals (6) and points (13) this season, as she has seven match-winning goals in 30 career appearances.

ANCIENT EIGHT SUCCESS:

• In its last ten Ivy League regular season contests, Harvard is a perfect 10-0, owning a +24 goal differential during that winning streak.
• Along with the impressive goal margin, the Crimson posted five shutouts during that run of victories.
• The Crimson's last loss against an Ivy League foe was a 4-2 defeat at Princeton. Harvard's last loss against an Ivy League opponent at Berylson Field arrived during the 2019 season.

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS:

• Against unranked opponents, Harvard maintains an 81-game winning streak.
• The last loss against an unranked foe took place during the 2016 season, a 3-1 defeat against UMass.

CAPTAINING THE CRIMSON:

• Guckian and senior goalkeeper Sofia Castore are the Harvard field hockey team captains for the 2024 season.
• A two-time team captain and two-time NFHCA All-American, Guckian has four goals and 12 points this season.
• Castore has appeared in two matches this season, including a start in a 4-1 win against Vermont.

A GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY:

• Harvard field hockey is celebrating its 50^th anniversary, honoring and recognizing the program's rich tradition of excellence throughout the 2024 season.
• The Crimson will celebrate the 50^th anniversary during and after the match against Princeton on Saturday, Oct. 19, a rematch of last season's Ivy League Tournament final.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE:

• Friday, Oct. 11: No. 9 Harvard at Columbia (3 PM, ESPN+)
• Sunday, Oct. 13: No. 9 Harvard at No. 2 Northwestern (12 PM, Big Ten Plus)

UP NEXT:

The Crimson return to Cambridge on Saturday, Oct. 19, as Harvard welcomes Princeton to Berylson Field at noon. Harvard fans can stream the match live on ESPN+.

For all the latest on Harvard Field Hockey, follow the Crimson on Twitter (@HarvardFH)and Instagram (@harvardfieldhockey).