Harvard Turns in Best Overall Record Since 2002

Though the record may not reflect it, the Harvard women’s lacrosse team was a formidable force this season.

“I think we made a statement to all the higher-ranked teams in the Ivy League that Harvard is a team to be reckoned with,” junior Kaitlin Martin said. “Every single game that they played with us was a hard fought game.”

The Crimson had its best overall record since 2002 with a 9-7 mark. It started out on fire with six straight wins over local non-conference opponents (going 8-1 in non-league play), but managed just a 2-5 record against a very strong Ivy field. Harvard’s two conference wins came against Brown and Columbia. The first was a gritty win in which Harvard edged the Bears by a single goal, 14-13; the second victory came against Columbia, whom Harvard beat in an easier 12-8 decision.

Sandwiched between those two wins was a five-game losing streak that took the Crimson out of league contention. Harvard’s defense never allowed fewer than 11 goals during the skid and surrendered 18 tallies at home to both Boston University and Princeton.

Despite the poor Ancient Eight showing during the heart of its season, the Crimson ended with a 14-11 win against non-conference foe Boston College under the lights at Harvard Stadium. Graduating seniors Caroline Simmons, Natalie Curtis, and Lauren Bobzin all posted goals in the final game of their collegiate careers.

Though the Crimson’s performance throughout the season was not always rewarded with a win, Harvard’s determination did not go entirely unnoticed—the Crimson took home three Ivy League awards. Bobzin, Martin, and freshman Jessica Halpern each earned spots on the All-Ivy Second Team.

Bobzin picked up 28 ground balls and forced 12 turnovers on the season to hold down the Crimson’s back line. Martin paced Harvard’s offense with 38 goals and 25 assists, scoring in 14 of the team’s 16 games, and led the league in points per game with 3.94.

Halpern was also named Rookie of the Year, making her the first Harvard player to receive the honor since 1994. She was second on the Crimson in goals scored, notching 34 over the course of the season.

The Crimson will lose seven seniors next year, but Halpern and her fellow underclassmen are prepared to take over the leadership roles left open on the team. Sophomore attacker Sara Flood and classmate Delia Pais have already stepped up on both ends of the field, and the freshman class is also stacked with strong players.

In addition to Halpern, freshman Sam McMahon made her presence felt this season, playing a key role on defense. After the Crimson’s last game against BC, McMahon was named Ivy co-Defensive Player of the Week for her solid performance.

“We’ll go from being relatively old to being relatively young,” head coach Lisa Miller said. “Our returning kids in the system did a great job. Our freshmen will just need some time to learn and break in. The question is how quick we can learn and blend old and new.”

—Staff writer Alison E. Schumer can be reached at schumer@fas.harvard.edu.