Overtime Heartbreak: No. 15 Princeton Upsets No. 10 Field Hockey on 50th Anniversary Weekend

On Saturday, during the Head of the Charles Regatta, two Ivy League rivals faced off at Berylson Field, the perfect place for field hockey along the river. Despite being the favorite heading into the contest, No. 10 Harvard (10-3, 4-1 Ivy) fell to No. 15 Princeton (9-4, 5-0 Ivy), 2-1 in overtime.

The hosts were celebrating 50 years of the Harvard field hockey program, but the Tigers spoiled the bash. By handing the Crimson its first in-league loss of the season, Princeton successfully clinched a spot in the Ivy League Tournament bracket.

Immediately at the sound of the starting whistle, the Tigers set the intense tone for the game, launching two aggressive rushes toward the Harvard net in hopes of sneaking the ball past junior goalkeeper Tessa Shahbo. However, despite Princeton’s offensive pressure, the scoreboard initially favored Crimson.

Senior forward Lucy Leel opened up the scoring for Harvard in the first quarter of play. The goal, hammered into the back of the net in the 12th minute of the game, marked the fifth of the season for the London, U.K. native. Leel’s point was assisted off of a beautiful centering pass into the circle from freshman Martha le Huray. The home crowd cheered in celebration, and the Crimson took a 1-0 lead.

Although Harvard managed to light up the scoreboard first, it was clear that the Tigers were not discouraged by the deficit. In the first 15 minutes alone, the Princeton team sent three shots barreling toward Shahbo, drawing gasps from the many Crimson fans who lined the field. Luckily for Harvard, Shahbo expertly deflected the shots.

Still, the first quarter marked one of the few times this season that the team has been outshot by its opponent. In fact, Leel’s goal was the only shot that the Crimson fired on the Tigers’ goalkeeper, Robyn Thompson, during the entire quarter.

The second quarter of play was a defensive battle between the two teams. Neither Harvard nor Princeton were able to break through each other's defenses to pose a significant scoring threat. For the majority of the quarter, the ball bounced between teams in the midfield, locked in a standstill. When the referee’s whistle blew to single the halftime break, the Crimson still maintained its 1-0 lead.

Harvard’s Head Coach Tjerk van Herwaarden must have given the team a rousing pep talk during the break, as the Crimson was dominant in the third quarter. All four of Harvard’s corner opportunities occurred during the 15-minute frame, as the Crimson, spurred on by the cheers of its alumni, thoroughly tested the Tiger’s defense. Compared to a first half in which the team only notched one shot, Harvard was able to tally six in the third quarter alone, marking a vast improvement.

Unfortunately for the Crimson, Thompson and the rest of Princeton’s defensive unit prevented any of the shots from finding the back of the net. Despite the Crimson’s relentless offensive pressure and possession of the ball, the score remained 1-0 as the game progressed to the final quarter.

In the 48th minute of play, Princeton’s Ella Cashman evened the score, converting on a swift assist from fellow Tiger Beth Yeager. With the score tied at 1-1 and the clock dwindling, the intensity of the game ramped up. Yet again, the two teams were stuck in a defensive standoff. Harvard was unable to notch a shot on the net, while Princeton was only able to fire one off. The horn blew, noting the end of regulation time, and fans watched nervously as the contest extended to overtime.

Princeton seized possession at the start of extra time and maintained it throughout almost all of the overtime period. For a brief moment, le Huray made a valiant push toward the Tigers’ net, but the visiting team quickly thwarted her effort. After repossessing the ball, the Tigers were able to dictate the pace of the game. Four minutes later, Cashman struck again, scoring her second goal of the game off of a corner opportunity and securing the 2-1 upset victory for the Princeton Tigers.

“Saturday was, of course, a disappointing result,” Harvard’s captain Emily Guckian explained. “But, we have reflected and will learn a lot from it.”

Despite the defeat, there was still cause for celebration for the Crimson, as generations of former Harvard field hockey players returned to Cambridge to celebrate the program’s golden jubilee. The event commemorated the merging of Radcliffe teams with the Department of Harvard Athletics in 1974, paving the way for better funding and more equitable athletic opportunities for women.

“To have all the alumni supporting us and celebrating 50 years of Harvard field hockey was so special,” Guckian shared.

That being said, the current Harvard team will now look to reignite a winning streak as it approaches the playoffs. Last weekend, the team fell in a close 1-0 game to No. 2 Northwestern, and after its upset loss to Princeton, the Crimson will need to build some positive momentum before concluding regular season play if it wants to be competitive in the postseason.

Next, Harvard will travel to Philadelphia to take on the UPenn Quakers (4-9, 2-3 Ivy League). The Crimson will then set its sights on No. 6 Saint Joseph’s (13-2, 4-1 Atlantic 10), who it will also face in the City of Brotherly Love. The Harvard team strives to upset the Hawks on the road and reaffirm its worthiness of a top-10 ranking.

“We are excited to head to Pennsylvania this weekend to continue making strides in Ivy League play and to take on top-ranked St. Joes,” Guckian said.

Harvard field hockey fans can catch the Crimson’s next game on ESPN+ at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25, as the team continues Ivy play against the Quakers. Then, watch on Sunday, Oct. 27, as the team takes on the St. Joseph’s Hawks at noon, also on ESPN+.

—Staff writer Isabel Smail can be reached at isabel.smail@thecrimson.com.