Harvard Women's Lacrosse Takes Down No. 23 UConn with Overtime Winner

The No. 24 Harvard women’s lacrosse team (3-1, 0-0 Ivy) delivered a thrilling overtime victory on Wednesday night, upsetting the No. 23 University of Connecticut Huskies (3-2, 0-0 Big East) on Jordan Field. In the dwindling minutes of overtime, sophomore Stella Shea sealed the 13-12 win dramatically, firing the game-winner past the Huskies’ goalie and sending the home crowd into a frenzy of celebrations. With its second consecutive win over a top-25 opponent, Harvard kicks off Ivy League play with momentum as it’s set to face No. 13 Princeton on the road next weekend.

From the opening whistle, the game was a nail-biter for the many fans who braved the cold to cheer on the teams. The visiting team drew first blood early in the contest, but Harvard responded quickly as sophomore attacker Callie Batchelder scored a woman-down goal and evened the score. The teams proceeded to trade goals, with co-captain Caroline Mullahy netting the second of the night for the home team. At the end of the first 15 minutes of play, the Huskies boasted a 3-2 advantage.

As the night progressed, the temperature dropped and the physical intensity soared. The Crimson started the second quarter with two quick goals from Tori Balser and Hannah Shiels respectively. Balser and Shiels’ efforts were spurred largely by some critical stops from Harvard’s defensive unit, backed by senior Lizzie Francioli in the net. Due to the brief scoring run and junior Charlotte Hodgson’s dominance on the draw, the Crimson took the lead for the first time in the game.

UConn and Harvard continued to switch leads throughout the remainder of the half. However, by the time the whistle blew to signal halftime, the Crimson had edged out an 8-7 lead thanks to Batchelder, who tallied her second goal of the game with 33 seconds left on the clock.

In the third quarter, Batchelder was the first to strike, extending Harvard’s lead to two for the first time in the contest. After a caused turnover from senior defender Grace Taylor, a Harvard turnover, and then another defensive caused turnover from Grace Mullahy, the Crimson regained possession of the ball. In an attempt to utilize the fast-break opportunity, the Harvard team pushed the ball upfield, setting up Shea for her first goal of the night off a free-position shot. Suddenly, the Crimson led by three.

UConn refused to allow Harvard to ignite a scoring streak and rattled off two quick goals to keep the game close. That being said, Harvard’s co-captain Charley Meier scored the final goal of the quarter, keeping the lead 11-9 in favor of the home team.

After celebrating, the team will return to action when it takes on Princeton. By Courtesy Harvard Athletics

The fourth quarter marked a true defensive battle between the two teams, plagued with fouls that outraged the parents who lined both the Harvard and the UConn sidelines. The Huskies played with true grit, as they slowly chipped away at the deficit, evening the scoreboard and blanking the Harvard team. With 1:42 left on the clock, UConn’s Rayea Davis scored the go-ahead goal, giving the Huskies a late 12-11 lead.

With the game on the line, Harvard’s Head Coach Devon Wills called a crucial time-out. Batchelder won the ensuing draw, giving the Crimson possession of the ball. The Newburyport, Mass. native then dished the ball to Meier, who notched her second goal of the night and locked the game in a 12-12 tie.

Then, Harvard had an opportunity to win after securing the final draw of regulation play. Meier, looking to strike again, flung the ball at the net. The ball ricocheted off the post and into UConn’s hands. The Huskies were able to get a last-second offensive chance of their own, as Megan O’Brien fired a ball toward Francoli. The refs issued a yellow card on O’Brien, citing her with a dangerous shot. The time expired and the game headed into overtime.

Due to O’Brien’s penalty, the Crimson had a woman-up advantage during the first two minutes of overtime play. Batchelder, looking to snag the win, fired a shot on UConn’s net. Unfortunately for the home team, the shot went out of bounds and the Huskies were able to retrieve the ball. Harvard failed in stopping UConn on the defensive side, and the Crimson fans groaned as the Huskies successfully got the ball into Davis’s goal-hungry hands. However, co-captain defender Annabel Child came up with a game-winning caused turnover, earning possession of the ball back for Harvard.

The Crimson made a beautiful clear, utilizing the extra-woman opportunity and beating the UConn defenders on the odd-woman rush. Shea faked out the Huskies’ goalie and secured the game-winning goal, sending the homestands and the Harvard bench into ecstatic celebrations. The final score read 13-12.

Next weekend, the Crimson will face off against No. 13 Princeton (2-1, 0-0 Ivy) for its first Ivy League contest of the year. Last season, Harvard fell 18-17 in overtime against the Tigers, and will undoubtedly be looking for redemption this spring. The game will mark the third straight contest against a ranked opponent for the Crimson, which looks to cement itself in both the national rankings and as a serious contender amongst the notoriously competitive Ivy League.

Fans can tune in to ESPN+ at noon on Mar. 8th to watch the Harvard Crimson take on the Princeton Tigers.

– Staff Writer Isabel C. Smail can be reached at isabel.smail@thecrimson.com