CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard men's lacrosse got back in the win column this afternoon with a 13-7 win over the Dartmouth Big Green at Jordan Field. The Crimson (7-3, 1-2 Ivy) picked up a hard-fought victory over its Ivy rival Dartmouth (3-7, 0-3 Ivy), to get back on track and improve its position in the Ivy League standings. 
 
Sam King's seven points powered the attack in front of a shutdown defensive effort from Collin Bergstrom, Martin Nelson and Christian Barnard.
 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Crimson were back at Jordan Field this afternoon to play its third consecutive home game inside its home stadium. Harvard was looking to get back on track with a win over the Big Green to correct a three-game skid.
• The group came out of the gates flying, scoring two goals in the first 30 seconds of the game. Andrew O'Berry scored off the opening faceoff and then Logan Ip found the net on the ensuing possession to give the Crimson a quick 2-0 advantage. Dartmouth countered with its first goal of the game at 13:41 in the quarter.
• Sam King got on the board with his first goal of the game three minutes into the action before things settled down and the defenses got their footing.
• John Aurandt IV scored the next Harvard goal halfway through the opening quarter, sprinting across the mid-line and charging towards the net before netting a leaping backhanded shot to give Harvard a 4-1 advantage.
• After another Big Green goal, Sam King used a smooth low-to-high shot to find the back of the net and restore a Harvard three goal lead, putting the team in front 5-2 at the end of the first quartet.
• The second quarter opened with fireworks as Jack Speidell brought Jordan Field on its feet when he netted a jaw-dropping behind-the-back shot to put Harvard in front, 6-2.
• It was a defensive battle for a majority of the second frame, as both defenses stepped up to force turnovers and hold the score at 6-2.
• Dartmouth added one more goal down the stretch before King found Graham Blake, who scored the Crimson's seventh goal of the half on the doorstep with only seven seconds remaining in the half. Blake's goal gave Harvard a 7-3 lead at the half.
• Miles Botkiss opened the scoring in the second half, scoring a streaking backhanded shot off the feed from King five minutes into the third quarter.
• The next eight minutes of the game was all Crimson. Eight forced turnovers and three saves by Christian Barnard helped Harvard go on a three-goal run in the quarter to open an 11-4 lead. Blake, Botkiss and Hilsenrath scored the tallies to help Harvard take the lead.
• Dartmouth would add one more goal to its total at the end of the quarter, but it was Harvard who held an 11-5 lead heading into the final frame.
• Botkiss completed his hat-trick and King collected his seventh point of the game in the fourth quarter to help Harvard pull away from the Big Green.
• The Crimson exacted its revenge on Dartmouth and came away with a 13-7 win to get back on track and move to 1-2 in Ivy League play.

 

HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS

• Sam King was the star of the game, recording seven points with three goals and three assits. King also led the team with six ground balls.
• Miles Botkiss added three goals and Graham Blake netted two to help lead the offense.
• Collin Bergstrom had one of his best games of the season, causing four turnovers on defense.
• Christian Barnard had another great game in the cage, making 11 saves and allowing only seven Dartmouth goals.
• Martin Nelson and Andrew O'Berry aided the defensive effort with five and four ground balls, respectively.
• Harvard's defense caused chaos today, forcing 24 Dartmouth turnovers.
• The Crimson also forced six failed clears, while going 26-for-29 themselves.

 

UP NEXT

Harvard will hit the road next week to travel to Philadelphia for a meeting with the Penn Quakers. The Crimson and Penn will square off next Saturday (Apr. 13) in what should be another top-20 matchup. Game time is set for 1:00 PM at Franklin Field and on ESPN+.