Pre-Ivy Competition Too Much for Crimson

The Harvard field hockey team dropped a pair of games last weekend in its final tune-up before the start of Ivy League play. The Crimson played Providence on Friday and was shut out, 4-0, at the Friar Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex in Providence, R.I. On Saturday, the team fared better but lost a heartbreaker to UMass. The game, which took place at Garber Field in Amherst, Mass, lasted two overtimes, but the Minutewomen ultimately prevailed on a goal from midfielder Erin Parker.

“We faced some really tough competition this weekend,” co-captain Kylie Stone said. “But we learned some things that will be helpful moving forward.”

PROVIDENCE 4, HARVARD 0

A game that was close at halftime quickly got out of hand for Harvard. Friars forward Ashley Judson, who scored the only goal in the first half, added another tally five minutes into the second frame. The goal came on a penalty corner when the ball was redirected in front of the cage for Judson to bury.

Providence increased its lead to three midway through the half when it scored on another penalty corner. It added the final goal with 3:32 left in regulation.

“It was not our best outing,” Harvard coach Sue Caples said. “I hope it will end up being our worst.”

The Crimson’s best scoring opportunities came in the first half. Sophomore forward Leigh McCoy found classmate and forward Maggie McVeigh for Harvard’s first shot of the game, but McVeigh was denied by Friars goaltender Rachel Chamberlain.

The Crimson had another near miss shortly after Judson’s first goal when freshman midfielder Carly Dickson fired a shot that barely ricocheted off the post.

Providence, however, dominated the decisive second half. The Friars held a 10-0 advantage in shots and a 7-0 edge in penalty corners for the period.

“They really dominated the tone of the game,” Stone said. “We didn’t give up, and I think that paid off [yesterday against UMass].”

UMASS 3, HARVARD 2

In a dramatic game, UMass outlasted Harvard for a 3-2 win in double overtime. The Crimson trailed by one with only minutes left to play, and McCoy was able to force overtime on a goal with 1:25 remaining in regulation.

In overtime, Harvard survived several scares before eventually succumbing to the Minutewomen’s attack. With 1:43 left in the second overtime, UMass gained possession and launched a counterattack in which Parker and sophomore forward Katie Kelly led a two-on-one breakaway. Kelly fed the ball ahead to Parker who slipped a shot past Stone for the game-winner.

“The team played a very complete game today,” Caples said. “If we play like this, we’ll end up victorious more often than not.”

Although the game was tight throughout, the Crimson never led. The Minutewomen struck first, 8:12 into the game, when Kelly redirected a shot into the cage. Harvard answered midway through the period on senior forward Kayla Romanelli’s first goal of the year. The score came on a penalty corner when freshman Georgia McGillivray found Romanelli on the right side of the net where the senior fired a shot into the goal. Three minutes later, UMass regained the lead on a penalty corner.

The scoring stalled until the final minutes of play. With 85 seconds remaining, the Minutewomen sent a pass across their own end of the field. McCoy stepped in, stole the ball, and ripped a shot into the right side of the cage.

In overtime, UMass applied steady pressure, recording 11 shots and three penalty corners. Stone managed to thwart the Minutewomen attempts with four overtime saves until Parker broke through.

“We were able to come back and tie it up twice, which was amazing,” Stone said. “That focus and drive is something that we’re really excited about.”

—Staff writer Timothy J. Walsh can be reached at twalsh@fas.harvard.edu.