ANN ARBOR, Mich. - No. 10 women's water polo defeated No. 25 Brown, 11–8, in overtime on Saturday afternoon to advance to the CWPA championship game for the second consecutive year.
In its first game of the 2026 postseason, Heidi Heffelfinger and Orli Cooper were the stories, as the duo helped lead the Crimson to a big overtime win.
Harvard has now won three straight overtime games in the CWPA playoffs, dating back to last season. The Crimson will now play the winner of Princeton and Michigan, setting up an exciting championship on Sunday at Canham Natatorium.
The Crimson pulled out the win in an exciting back-and-forth semifinal matchup. Trailing 4–2 to start the second quarter, Harvard took a 5–4 lead into halftime before Brown responded with a strong quarter of its own to force overtime after the game was tied at seven apiece.
Heidi Heffelfinger tied the game at eight-all as the clock nearly expired in the first overtime period. Niki Piovan, Heffelfinger, and Berkman then all scored in the second overtime frame to give Harvard an 11–8 win and a chance to defend its title.
HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS
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Harvard will play either Princeton or Michigan in the CWPA Championship game tomorrow.
