CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – No. 11 Harvard field hockey hits the road for the last time during the 2024 regular season, as the Crimson will take on Penn and No. 5 Saint Joseph's this weekend in the Keystone State.

On Friday, Oct. 25, Harvard and Penn will meet at Ellen Vagelos Field at 2 p.m., as the Crimson conclude the weekend on Sunday, Oct. 27 with a 12 p.m. contest against Saint Joseph's. Crimson fans can catch both matches live on ESPN+.

CRIMSON UPDATES:

• The Crimson owns a 10-3 record in the latter half of the 2024 regular season, sitting in second place in the Ivy League standings with a 4-1 record in conference action after last weekend's 2-1 overtime loss against No. 13 Princeton.
• In the latest Penn Monto/NFHCA Coaches Poll, the Crimson earned the No. 11 spot, as it also ranks 10^th in the latest NCA RPI.
• With a win against Penn, Harvard will clinch a second consecutive trip to the Ivy League Field Hockey Tournament.
• Senior forward Lucy Leel picked up her fifth goal of the season last Saturday against the Tigers, setting new career highs in goals (5) in a single-season.
• Between the posts, junior goalkeeper Tessa Shahbo stopped five shots against Princeton, as she crossed the century mark in saves for her collegiate career with 102 in 30 appearances. Shahbo is the 12^th student-athlete in program history to save 100 or more shots in a career.
• Harvard owns a stellar road reputation this season, holding a 6-1 record in matches away from Berylson Field. In those contests, the Crimson maintain a +21-goal differential.
• On the offensive end, Harvard boasts one of the best attacking units in the country. Nationally, the Crimson rank seventh in goals per game (3.15) and ninth in scoring margin (1.70), leading the Ivy League in both categories as well.
• In its past 14 contests against Ancient Eight foes, Harvard owns a 13-1 record, posting five shutouts and a +29-goal differential in that run.
• Over the course of the 2024 season, the Crimson is competing against some of the top teams in the nation, owning a 4-3 record against teams inside the top-24 of the RPI.
• Head Coach Tjerk van Herwaarden is in his 12^th season at the helm of the Harvard field hockey program. Ranked second in program history in victories, van Herwaarden owns a 141-56 record in his Crimson tenure.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION:

• Penn brings a 4-9 record into this weekend's meeting, as the Quakers are 2-3 in Ivy League action and 3-4 at Ellen Vagelos Field this season.
• After dropping a 2-3 double overtime thriller against Cornell, Penn ended the weekend strong, bouncing back with a 2-1 overtime victory against Richmond.
• The national leader in goals scored with 64, No. 5 Saint Joseph's is 13-2 this season, winning its last six contests.
• The Hawks opened last weekend with a 7-0 win against Richmond, followed by a 4-0 shutout victory against city rival Drexel. Prior to the top-15 showdown against the Crimson, Saint Joseph's will face Saint Louis on the road in its penultimate Atlantic 10 match.

SERIES HISTORY:

• Winners of the past eight meetings, Harvard leads an all-time series against Penn that dates back to 1977, 27-17-2.
• Sophomore forward Sage Piekarski and Mazarine Broze '24 scored goals as Harvard secured the 2023 Ivy League regular season title in the last meeting against Penn.
• Sunday's showdown will be the third all-time meeting between Harvard and Saint Joseph's, as the series is tied. Harvard won the meeting last season, 1-0, as Shahbo stopped four shots in the shutout effort.

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS:

• Dating back to the 2016 season, the Crimson own a staggering 82 game win streak against unranked opponents.
• The last loss against an unranked foe arrived on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, a 3-1 loss against intrastate rival UMass.

BEEKHUIS' BIG YEAR:

• The 2023 Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player, sophomore midfielder Lara Beekhuis is enjoying an excellent sophomore season in Cambridge, as she leads the Crimson in goals (8) and points (17).
• At the conference level, Beekhuis is second in the Ivy League in goals and third in points.
• Across 33 appearances and 18 starts, Beekhuis has 18 goals, three assists, and 39 points, averaging 1.18 points a game.

CRIMSON CAPTAINS:

• Senior midfielder Emily Guckian and senior goalkeeper Sofia Castore are the Crimson captains this season.
• A two-time NFHCA All-American, Guckian has five goals and 10 points this season, bringing her career point tally to 63, three points away from matching Kathleen Young '19 and Elizabeth Jacobsen '16 for 10^th all-time in program history.
• Castore has 11 career appearances between the posts, as she saw action in Harvard's 9-3 win against Columbia on Friday, Oct. 11.

A GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY:

• Last weekend, the Harvard field hockey community gathered to celebrate and honor the program's 50^th anniversary.
• The Crimson own seven Ivy League titles, along with the 2023 Ivy League Tournament Championship, and advanced all the way to the NCAA Tournament Semifinals in 2021.

UP NEXT:

Harvard returns to Berylson Field on Saturday, Nov. 2, taking on Cornell in the 2024 regular season finale. The match is slated for a noon start and will air live on ESPN+.

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