CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – For a third-straight year, No. 3 Harvard field hockey will battle for an Ivy League Tournament Championship, as the Crimson toppled No. 19 Brown, 2-0, in the 2025 Ivy League Tournament Semifinals at Berylson Field.

Harvard's balanced and exciting attack excelled against the Bears, as the Co-Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year and junior forward Sage Piekarski netted the opening goal against the Bears in the first quarter, as All-Ivy League Second Team selection and junior midfielder Lara Beekhuis doubled Harvard's lead in the second period of action.

One of the nation's best goalkeepers, first-year keeper Linde Burger, the Ivy League's Rookie of the Year, was stellar between the posts. Burger posted her eighth shutout of the year, as she stopped five shots in the process, just one shy of matching her career high.

With the win, Harvard improves to 17-0 on the season, as the Crimson is the lone undefeated team remaining in the nation. With 17 victories, Harvard matches the program record for most wins in a season, as the 2018 and 2021 teams each won 17 contests.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Harvard (17-0, 7-0 Ivy League) and Brown (10-6, 4-3) each enjoyed possession to open the Ivy League Tournament Semifinal clash but scoring chances were limited in the first quarter. Each side logged a shot in the first quarter, as Brown saw its open chance deflected away by Burger.

With under a minute left in the first quarter, Harvard jumped into the lead and did not look back from there. Sophomore forward Martha le Huray danced past multiple Bears defenders, as she fed a pass through to Piekarski who popped the ball up and over Brown's first-year keeper Ellie Parker for the opening goal.

The 2025 Ivy League Co-Offensive Player of the Year, Piekarski has now scored 13 goals this season, the most goals scored by a Crimson in a single season since 2021.

At the end of the first quarter, each team logged a single shot on target, as Harvard continued to apply pressure and maintain possession in the second quarter.

The Crimson started fast in the second period of action, firing off the first two shots of the frame within the first two minutes of action. le Huray forced a save from Parker, as Beekhuis saw her effort drift wide of the cage just 12 seconds later.

Capitalizing on a Brown turnover deep in the attacking zone, Harvard doubled its lead with a little over 10 minutes left in the first half. Pinning the visitors back, a misplaced Brown touch provided Beekhuis possession in the circle, as the 2023 Ivy League Tournament's Most Outstanding Player fought through contact and put the chance away to double the Crimson lead, 2-0, heading into the halftime break.

At the end of the opening 30 minutes of the Ivy League Tournament Semifinals, Harvard recorded six shots, as the Crimson's defense shined by allowing just a single shot in the first half.

In the second half, Harvard contained the Brown attack, as Burger was instrumental in preserving the Crimson lead in the third and fourth quarters.

With 5:47 left in the third period, Brown earned a string of penalty corners, as Burger kept the Bears off the scoresheet with a spectacular split save on Brown's second-straight penalty.

Harvard earned its own series of penalty corner opportunities to close out the third quarter. With under a minute left in the third period, Harvard turned to senior defender and 2023 and 2025 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year and senior defender Bronte-May Brough on its second consecutive corner, as Parker was able to get a stick on it to deny Harvard's third goal of the day.

In the third quarter, Harvard logged five shots compared to Brown's three, as Burger stopped a pair of shots in the frame.

The fourth quarter saw the Crimson continue to stifle the Bears offense, as Harvard closed out the 2-0 win to advance to its third-straight Ivy League Tournament Championship appearance. Harvard recorded 12 shots compared to Brown's 10, as Burger recorded five saves on her way to her eighth shutout of the year.

HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS:

• Harvard advances to the championship round of the Ivy League Tournament for a third-straight season.
• The Crimson earn its 17^th win of the season, tying the program record for most wins in a season, which was set by the 2018 and 2021 squads.
• Harvard is now 8-0 against ranked opponents this season.
• With the win, Harvard is now 5-0 in the Ivy League Tournament.
• Beekhuis leads the Crimson in goals in the Ivy League Tournament, as she has four across five appearances in the competition.
• Piekarski is the first Crimson to score 13 goals in a season since Hannah Pearce '22 did so in 2021.
• Beekhuis, Piekarski and le Huray all have double-digit goals this season, marking the first time since 2017 that three or more Crimson have scored 10 or more goals in a single season.

UP NEXT:

Harvard and Princeton will renew the richest rivalry in Ivy League field hockey on Sunday, Nov. 9, as the Crimson and Tigers will meet in the Ivy League Tournament Championship for a third consecutive season. Push back is scheduled for noon and all the action will air live on ESPN+.

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