STORRS, Conn. – No. 8 Harvard field hockey is 4-0 to start a season for the first time since 2021, as the Crimson cruised to a 2-0 shutout victory against No. 16 UConn on the road.

The win marks both Harvard's first shutout win of the year and the first career shutout for first-year goalkeeper Linde Burger. The reigning Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week, Burger needed four saves to keep the Huskies off the board.

Harvard wasted no time in taking the lead against UConn, as junior midfielder Lara Beekhuis opened the scoring over a minute into action. Stout play from the defense and the midfield defined most of the afternoon for Harvard, as sophomore forward Martha le Huray put the contest out of reach late in the fourth quarter for her third goal of the year.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Harvard (4-0, 0-0 Ivy League) capitalized on an early chance to take a quick lead against UConn (2-3, 0-0 BIG EAST). With just a minute and eight seconds down in the first quarter, senior midfielder and team captain Fiene Oerlemans fired off a pass across the circle, as Beekhuis controlled the ball sent a shot into the back of the net to provide Harvard the lead, 1-0. A two-time All-Ivy League honoree, Beekhuis now has 22 goals in 44 games for the Crimson, as she also has 48 points during that span.

Thanks to strong defensive play at backline and the midfield and organized passing from the forwards, the Crimson owned the first quarter, taking two shots, both on goal, while holding the hosts to zero attempts over the opening 15 minutes at the George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex.

In the second quarter, the Crimson continued to find scoring opportunities and disrupt the offensive rhythm for the Huskies. The hosts earned their first scoring chance with 3:10 remaining in the first half, producing a penalty corner. Harvard's defense stood strong though, deflecting the shot wide to preserve the 1-0 lead heading into the second half.

After 30 minutes of action in Storrs, Connecticut, the Crimson recorded three shots, holding the hosts to only two shots after two frames of play.

Harvard kept its foot on the pedal in the opening moments of the second half, orchestrating three penalty corners in the first five minutes of the third period. After the Huskies blocked the first, the second Crimson penalty corner produced three straight shots on goal, two of them from senior defender Bronte-May Brough. On the third penalty corner of the run, the Huskies' sophomore keeper Natalie McKenna made another stop to keep the scoreline at 1-0.

The hosts found momentum with under five minutes left in the third quarter. After a UConn penalty corner was ushered away by senior midfielder Kitty Chapple, UConn regained possession and fired a shot that was excellently kicked away by Burger. On the Huskies' next corner, Burger stepped up again, denying the hosts an equalizer with another kick save.

Both sides registered three shots in the third period, as Burger was key in preserving the Harvard lead with a pair of saves.

After showcasing strong defensive strategy for the majority of the fourth quarter, the Crimson doubled lead late in the fourth. Junior forward Sage Piekarski sparked a counterattack, as the Concord, Massachusetts native found le Huray in the circle for another Crimson goal, 2-0.

At the end of the victory, Harvard outshot the hosts, 10-8, as eight of the Crimson's 10 shots were on target. The reigning Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week, Burger earns the first shutout of her collegiate career with four saves.

HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS:

• The Crimson improve to 4-0 to start the 2025 season, marking Harvard's first 4-0 start to a campaign since 2021.
• Burger earns the first shutout of her collegiate career with four saves, as all the stops arrived in the second half.
• The 2024 Ivy League Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, le Huray scores in consecutive contests for the first time in her Crimson career.
• Harvard is now 5-0 in its last showdowns on the road.
• The 2-0 victory over UConn marks the Crimson's second ranked win of the season.
• The Crimson have won three straight contests against UConn, its longest winning streak in the series between the two programs.

UP NEXT:

Harvard begins Ivy League action on Friday, Sept. 19, as the Crimson host Dartmouth for the conference opener at 4 p.m. Admission to Berylson Field is free 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).