BOSTON, Mass. – For the first time since 2022, Harvard women's hockey is heading back to Dunkin' Women's Beanpot Championship, as the Crimson best Boston College, 2-1, in the semifinals at Walter Brown Arena. First-year Morgan McGathey opened the scoring in the first period with a stellar solo effort in her Beanpot debut, as Boston College equalized midway through the second period. In the third period, junior Kaley MacDonald produced the winning moment, sending the Crimson to the Beanpot Championship with the game-winning goal. 

In her second Beanpot appearance, sophomore Ainsley Tuffy was superb in goal, as the Duxbury, Massachusetts native stopped 40 shots, posting a new career-high in Beanpot play. The Crimson played with a high level of intensity for the entirety of the match up against the Eagles, logging 34 shots on goal and blocking 17 shots.

How it Happened
Physical play defined the opening 10 minutes of the clash between Harvard (10-8-1, 5-6-1 ECAC) and Boston College (9-12-1, 7-5-1 HEA) at Walter Brown Arena. With just over 13 minutes left in the first period, Boston College earned the first power play opportunity, as the Crimson stifled the Eagles to keep the scoreboard even. With just 2:10 left in the first period, Harvard broke the deadlock with the opening goal. McGathey glided between three Boston College defenders and snuck a shot past Boston College's goalkeeper while falling to the ice to give the Crimson a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

McGathey is the first Crimson first-year since 2022 to score a goal in the Beanpot. A native Braintree, Massachusetts, McGathey now has six goals and 10 points across 19 appearances on the ice this season, tied for the team in goals with fellow first-year Carla McSweeney as she finds the back of the net for the first time since Friday, Dec. 5. Tuffy was also phenomenal in the first period, as the Duxbury, Massachusetts native stopped 13 shots in the frame. The Crimson logged eight shots on goal in the first compared to Boston College's 13 shots on target. First-year Emi Biotti blocked a game-high four shots in the first period as well.

In the second period with 13:01 left in the frame, Boston College leveled the score at one all. From there, Harvard owned the pace of play for the remainder of the second period, holding the Eagles without a shot on goal for over seven minutes and earning a pair of power play opportunities. The scoreline stood at 1-1 at the end of the second period, as the Crimson fired off 13 shots on goal in the frame.

Play between the Crimson and Eagles was even to start the third period, as both sides created chances in the attacking zone. With 11:13 left in regulation, Harvard regained the lead, as MacDonald fired a shot off the crossbar into the net to put the Crimson ahead with her first goal of the season. A native of Walpole, Massachusetts, MacDonald scores in the Beanpot for the first time in her Crismon tenure. MacDonald now has six goals and 21 points across 77 career appearances, as this is her first game-winning goal as well.

From there, the Crimson stifled the Boston College attack, as Harvard secured a 2-1 win to head to the Beanpot Championship for the first time since 2022 and the first time under the direction of head coach Laura Bellamy '13. Tuffy ends the evening with 40 saves, surpassing the 30 save mark for the sixth time this season. Harvard logged 34 shots on goal compared to Boston College's 41, as the Crimson blocked 17 shots across the 60 minutes against the Eagles.

Harvard Highlights:

• Harvard advances to the Dunkin' Women's Beanpot Championship for the first time since 2022.
• McGathey is the first Crimson rookie since 2022 to score in a Dunkin' Women's Beanpot contest.
• Harvard reaches 10 victories in a season for the first time during Bellamy's tenure. The Crimson tally double-digit wins for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
• MacDonald's game-winner is her first goal of the season and her sixth career goal, as she also scores a game-winner for the first time in her career.
• Tuffy ends the day with 40 saves, as she has stopped 30 or more shots for the sixth time this season.

Up Next

Harvard returns to ECAC action with a two-game road swing this weekend, as the Crimson face Princeton in the Garden State at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 16, followed with a 3:00 p.m. meeting with Quinnipiac on Saturday, Jan. 17. The 2026 Dunkin' Women's Beanpot Championship takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at TD Garden.