CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The latest chapter in the historic rivalry between No. 10 Harvard field hockey and No. 8 Princeton lived up to the billing, as the Crimson defeated the Tigers, 2-1, after a thrilling 75 minutes of play and 4-2 shootout scoreline saw Harvard earn the win.
High-tempo play and capitalizing on penalty corners defined the match between Harvard and Princeton, as Harvard opened the scoring in the second quarter as senior midfielder and team captain
Lara Beekhuis scored her team-leading fourth goal of the year off a penalty corner. Princeton would level the score in the third, as Harvard would convert all four of its attempts to secure the 4-2 shootout win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The opening frame between Harvard (6-1, 2-0 Ivy League) and Princeton (4-3, 1-1) saw both teams generate chances. The Crimson took the first two shots of the contest, as Harvard's first two penalty corners were turned away with saves from Princeton's Olivia Caponiti. Princeton would take the next two shots, as the scoreboard stood at 0-0 heading into the second quarter.
Harvard broke the deadlock with 10:10 left in the first half. With the Crimson facing an attacking penalty corner opportunity, sophomore midfielder
Rosa Kooijmans settled the insert from junior midfielder
Martha le Huray, as Beekhuis fired the shot into the bottom left corner of the cage, 1-0. A native of Laren, Netherlands, Beekhuis leads the Crimson in goals (4) and points (9).
For the remainder of the first half, the Crimson kept Princeton off the board, as Harvard took a 1-0 lead into the second half. Both teams would take three shots in the first half, as sophomore
Linde Burger recorded one save in the first 30 minutes against the Tigers.
Both sides found an attacking rhythm in the third quarter, as Harvard and Princeton combined for 11 shots in the frame. The visitors equalized on a corner of its own through Saylor Milone, 1-1. In the fourth quarter, Harvard would dominate possession, taking five shots while holding Princeton to zero. Just three minutes into the fourth quarter, Harvard was awarded a penalty stroke, as Caponiti would record another save to keep the score level and force overtime.
Two minutes into overtime, Princeton would earn a penalty stroke of its own, as the Tigers would miss the chance to keep the contest going. Neither side found the winner in overtime, as for a second-straight contest, a shootout would decide the game.
Harvard was perfect in the shootout, as Beekhuis, le Huray, first-year forward
Evie Smith and Kooijmans all made their attempts. Between the posts, Burger would record two saves on Princeton's final attempts to secure a pivotal Ivy League win for the Crimson.
For a fifth-straight contest, Harvard recorded double-digit shots, outshooting Princeton, 15-10. Burger was once again stellar between the posts, as the Heerhugowaard, Netherlands native stopped a season-high five shots.
HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS
- With today's win, Harvard is now 22-1 in its last 23 regular season contests.
- The Crimson defeats Princeton in the regular season in consecutive years for the first time in school history.
- Harvard is now 6-4 in the last 10 contests against Princeton.
- The Crimson wins back-to-back games via a shootout for the first time in school history.
- Harvard took 15 shots this afternoon, the most allowed by Princeton this season.
- With her goal this afternoon, Beekhuis now has 35 goals and 81 points in her Crimson career.
UP NEXT
Harvard returns to the pitch next weekend in the Keystone State, as the Crimson head to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for a matchup against Penn on Friday, Oct. 2. Harvard will then return home and host Wake Forest on Sunday, Oct. 4.
For all the latest on Harvard Field Hockey, follow the Crimson on Twitter (@HarvardFH) and Instagram (@harvardfieldhockey).
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