Women's Water Polo 3/2/2025 5:17:00 PM

No. 8 Women's Water Polo Sweeps Harvard Invitational

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – No. 8 women's water polo finished the Harvard Invitational with another pair of wins against Brown and Wagner to stretch its win streak to 12 games. The Crimson beat its CWPA rivals 9-7 in a tightly contested matchup before finishing the day with a 15-6 win over Wagner on senior day.

Maya O'Dea and Erin Kim netted fourth-quarter goals to pull away from the Brown Bears in a back-and-forth morning matchup at Blodgett Pool. Tied at 7-7 heading into the fourth quarter, Orli Cooper made two stops in the final eight minutes of play to hold the Bears at seven, while O'Dea and Kim found the back of the net to lift Harvard to its 11th straight win.

Harvard went on a five-goal run in the second quarter against Wagner to help cruise to a victory and sweep the season series. Orli Cooper was stellar yet again after making 21 saves in the afternoon game including two on five-meter attempts.

The Crimson has the longest winning streak of any top-10 team in the country with its 12th straight victory.

Ted Minnis sits just one win away from his 250th all-time as head coach of the women's program.

GAME 1: HARVARD 9, BROWN 7

Lucy Berkman opened the scoring with a beautiful lob over the Bears' netminder to make it 1-0 Harvard after four minutes of scoreless action.
After a Bears goal, Dany Zapata picked up her first of the game to make it 2-1 Harvard.
The Crimson led 3-2 after the first quarter of action.
Emma Gilbert doubled the Crimson lead after making a strong move in the slot.
With Brown continuing to attack, Ella Schneider protected the Crimson lead with a shot that went bardown to make it 5-3 Harvard.
The Bears eventually tied the game at 6-6 with just over four minutes to play in the third quarter before Niki Piovan was left open on the outside for another Crimson lead.
Tied at 7-7 in the fourth quarter, Maya O'Dea and Erin Kim both scored to help push the Crimson toward its 11th straight win.
Ruby Hodge finished the game with three helpers.
Emma Gilbert added two goals and one assist.
Niki Piovan had a goal and two helpers.
Orli Cooper was stellar between the pipes, making 15 saves, with five of them coming in the third quarter.

GAME 2: HARVARD 15 , WAGNER 6

Harvard battled back in the first quarter after being down 2-0 and then 3-2 heading into the second.
Niki Piovan, Lily Britt, and Emma Gilbert all scored in the opening eight minutes of action.
Britt and Gilbert picked up goals to bring the Crimson out of a two-goal deficit early in the game before Piovan tied it at three heading into the break.
Harvard went on a 5-1 run after the first two Wagner goals, with Emma Gilbert and Maya O'Dea scoring in the second quarter to give the Crimson the lead for the first time in the afternoon.
The Crimson outscored Wagner by a score of 10-2 in the second and third quarters.
Emma Gilbert finished with six goals and two assists.
Niki Piovan added a goal and three helpers
Seniors Dany Zapata and Erin Kim combined for three goals and two assists.
Ruby Hodge and Maya O'Dea both potted a pair of goals.