CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – For the first time since 2023, No. 4 Harvard field hockey earns a share of the Ivy League regular season championship, as the Crimson also secure the right to host the 2025 Ivy League Tournament as the top-seeded team with a 2-0 win against Columbia.

Both defenses excelled at Berylson Field, as neither side found the cage across the first three periods action. The Crimson broke through in the fourth quarter, as sophomore forward Emily Bronckers and junior midfielder Lara Beekhuis put Harvard ahead with goals in the final six minutes of regulation. Harvard's stellar defense excelled against the Lions, holding the visitors to just a single shot across 60 minutes.

With the win, Harvard remains the only undefeated side in the nation, as the Crimson also match the school record for longest winning streak with its 14-straight victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Harvard (14-0, 6-0 Ivy League) pinned back Columbia (6-7, 1-5) for the entirety of the first half, but the Lions defense stood tall as neither side found the cage in the opening frame from Berylson Field. The first quarter saw the Crimson generate a couple of attacking chances, as Harvard tallied five shots while holding the visitors to zero attempts.

The second quarter followed the same script from the first, as Harvard controlled possession, but Columbia defended its cage successfully to take a 0-0 score into the halftime break. Each side produced one corner chance in the second quarter, as Burger stopped a shot to keep the score level heading into the second half. The Crimson ended the first half with seven shot attempts.

The Crimson started the second half on the front foot, earning two penalty corner chances in the first eight minutes of the third quarter, as the Lions defended both chances to keep the scoreboard at 0-0.

With exactly three minutes remaining in the third quarter, Harvard manufactured its third corner of the frame, as a kick save from Columbia's sophomore keeper Margot Houle denied sophomore midfielder Tilly Butterworth's attempt from the top of the circle. The Crimson continued to mount pressure with possession on the Lions in the final stages of the third quarter, as the scoreline stood at 0-0 heading into the fourth.
After 45 minutes of action, Harvard took 12 shots with seven of them on target, as the Crimson's vaunted defense limited the Lions to just one attempt.

Both sides traded possessions to across the initial moments of the fourth quarter, as Harvard produced its ninth corner of the day with 9:49 left in regulation. After the insert and a shot from Butterworth, senior forward Kate Oliver controlled the rebound as her shot drifted just wide of the cross bar.

Harvard broke through with 5:31 remaining in regulation. Beekhuis picked up a pass on the left side of the circle and fought off a Columbia defender and fired off a shot, as Bronckers deflected the attempt into the cage and propelled the Crimson in front, 1-0.

The Crimson doubled the advantage on a corner with under a minute left, as senior midfielder Kitty Chapple found Beekhuis who sent a low shot right past the Houle for her ninth goal of the year, 2-0.

Harvard wins a share of the 2025 Ivy League regular season title after outshooting the visitors, 17-1, and taking 11 penalty corners. First-year goalkeeper Linde Burger posted her sixth shutout of the season as the Crimson earn its 14-straight victory.

HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS:

• Harvard earns its eighth Ivy League regular season title in program history, as five of them have arrived under the direction of head coach Tjerk van Herwaarden.
• The Crimson improve to 14-0 on the 2025 season, as Harvard is the only remaining undefeated team in the nation.
• Harvard picks up its 14-straight victory, marking the longest active winning streak in the nation and matching the program record for the longest winning streak. The 2018 iteration of the Crimson won 14-straight contests on the way to an Ivy League title.
• The Crimson extend its winning streak against unranked opponents to 94 games.
• Harvard has now won 12-straight games against Columbia.
• Burger posts her sixth shutout of the season, as she is now tied for sixth in program history for shutouts by a goalie in program history.
• Beekhuis has now scored at least one goal in the last three games.
• Harvard holds an opponent to under 10 shots in a game for the 11^th time this season.
• The Crimson have scored multiple goals in 13-straight contests.

UP NEXT:

Harvard will face its final nonconference opponent of the season on Sunday, Oct. 26, as the Crimson renew an exciting intrastate rivalry with UMass on the road. The matchup is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start and it will air live on ESPN+.

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