NEW YORK, N.Y. – Harvard women's lacrosse (6-9, 1-6 Ivy) dropped a heartbreaker to Columbia (7-8, 1-6 Ivy) in the season finale this afternoon. The Crimson's comeback efforts came up just short, falling to the Lions, 11-10 in overtime.
Tori Balser and
Cecelia Batchelder led the way on the offensive end, each tallying a hat trick against the Lions.
How it Happened
Harvard started fast in New York City as
Tori Balser found the back of the net under 40 seconds into the contest.
Cecelia Batchelder and
Grace Mullahy added goals off free position shots to build a 3-1 Harvard lead. The Lions flipped the script in the second half of the quarter, however. Columbia held the Crimson scoreless in the final eight minutes and rattled off three goals to lead 4-3 after the first 15 minutes.
Harvard again struck first as
Charlotte Hodgson recorded her first goal of the game two and a half minutes in to knot the contest at 4-4. The Lions pulled in front again, but the Crimson followed with two unanswered goals from
Kate Gilliam and Balser to take a 6-5 lead. Before the half, the Lions found the back of the net and the contest was all square at the halfway mark.
As the Crimson's offense faltered in the third quarter, the Lions built its largest lead of the day at three goals. Batchelder found the goal with five minutes remaining for Harvard's only point of the frame. Neither team would score for the remainder of the quarter, and the Lions entered the fourth quarter with a 9-7 lead.
Following six scoreless minutes, Gilliam notched another goal on a man-up situation to put the Crimson within one. The Lions found the back of the net again with five minutes remaining, but it would be their final goal in regulation. Harvard netted the final two points of the fourth quarter to tie the contest and force overtime.
The Crimson controlled the draw in overtime but were halted by the Lions' defense. Columbia went on to score on the ensuing possession, capturing the win, 11-10.
Harvard Highlights
