ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Frosh Takes Center Stage

In a match-up of two teams with key young role-players, Harvard freshman Sarah Wilson grabbed the spotlight from everyone else on the ice.

While senior Ali Boe suffocated the opponents’ offensive attacks in net this past weekend and classmate Jennifer Raimondi’s goal came on Sunday came at a key point during the game, it was Wilson who shined the brightest for the Crimson at the ECAC postseason tournament.

Wilson netted two goals—including the gamewinner—in the 4-3 victory over Brown for the ECAC championship, earning herself Most Outstanding Player honors from the media in attendance.

Her effort pushed Harvard over the edge to win its third straight ECAC championship trophy.

“It is really exciting,” said Wilson following the final versus the Bears. “I’m glad I was able to contribute today. I wouldn’t have guessed I would be here today.”

The Crimson’s offensive outburst in the opening period of the game—during which it scored four goals in a span of 10 minutes—began and ended with Wilson’s tallies.

She started the streak with Harvard down 1-0.

The goal came after Wilson had pressured Brown goalie O’Hara Shipe with a number of shots, finally beating her on her glove side.

“Those were great shots,” said Raimondi in a television interview. “She’s shown great poise all season, and those were two great goals there for us.”

The second of those “two great goals” capped the scoring for the game with just over a minute remaining in the first period.

Wilson collected the puck in the left corner of the ice, and, with some meticulous stick-handling, beat a number of the Bears defenders to get close to the net.

Once she made it to just outside of the crease, Wilson banged the puck off the edge of the post on the upper right and into the net behind replacement goaltender Nicole Stock.

For the season, Wilson now has twelve goals—tied for second on the team.

In her first season donning the Crimson jersey, Wilson has been one of a number of key players that have brought Harvard to this point through its depth, balancing the star talent it boasted over the last few years.

“Our program has never been about a couple of superstars—we have done an excellent job establishing depth,” said Crimson coach Katey Stone after the tournament was over.

“While we have had a couple of superstars,” she added, “that is not the only thing we are about.”

Wilson’s name is not amongst the national leaders in points or goals for rookies, but on Sunday she was more important to Harvard’s season than almost any other freshman in the country.

And she will get one more chance to show her stuff as the win gave the Crimson an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Wilson and the rest of the Harvard squad will take on the top-ranked New Hampshire Wildcats Friday night.

—Staff writer Gabriel M. Velez can be reached at gmvelez@fas.harvard.edu.