Lethargy Leads to Third Loss in Row

Sophomore Tara Schoen posted a hat trick yesterday when the Harvard women’s lacrosse team played against New Hampshire at Memorial Field. Despite Schoen’s efforts, the Crimson, due to a poor showing in the first frame, lost to the Wildcats 19-10.

“I think our team didn’t come out with intensity,” freshman Kaitlin Martin said.

The game marks the third straight loss for Harvard (3-8, 1-1 Ivy League) and the seventh straight victory for New Hampshire (8-4, 3-0 America East).

The Wildcats struck first, posting a 3-0 run to open the game. Three different players—junior Alexa Webster, senior Katie Leland, and sophomore Moira Talbot—each found the net to give New Hampshire the early lead. Leland and Talbot would continue to increase the tally, recording seven and six points respectively to lead the Wildcats in scoring. Sophomore Caroline Simmons posted the only two goals for Harvard in the first half. Simmons gave the Crimson its first point ten minutes into the game, but a subsequent 5-0 run by New Hampshire extended the total to 8-1. Simmons, however, did her best to chip away at the lead, scoring again 17 minutes after her first goal.

Freshman Ashley Durepo and Webster each notched a point for the Wildcats to close the period with New Hampshire in possession of a commanding 10-2 advantage.

The Wildcats retained their intensity, opening the second frame by extending their scoring drive to five thanks to two more goals by Talbot and one from senior Kristin Blanchette.

Down 13-2, the Crimson regained its vigor and began to play with greater ardor. Senior Allie Kaveney and sophomore Natalie Curtis added one goal apiece to the total. Both Harvard and New Hampshire would trade goals until a 3-0 run by the Crimson inched the squad closer.

Schoen started the offensive drive on her way to the hat trick and scored two of the three goals in the spurt. The effort would be too little too late, however, as Harvard would never come any closer than 17-9.

Two more goals, one from junior Leanne Ferretti and the seventh by Leland, added the icing on the cake for the Wildcats.

Still fighting, Schoen posted her third goal of the night with 1:28 left to play.

The game against New Hamsphire marks the seventh time the Crimson has been outscored in the first half out of its eleven games this season. The opposition has also outshot Harvard, attempting 32.1 shots per game compared to 27.1 for the Crimson. Opposing teams have additionally shared the ball more, posting 61 assists while the Crimson has only managed 31.

“We have to get ourselves more pumped up,” Martin said. “It was almost like we didn’t get off the bus.”

The Crimson will now embark on the home stretch of its season, playing the last five games of the year against Ivy League opponents, beginning with Princeton at home on Saturday.