Women's Hockey Struggles in Weekend Slate

Offensive sparks from new faces weren’t enough to help the Harvard women’s hockey team take home a victory this weekend. The Crimson (2-2-2, 2-2-2 ECAC) suffered a 4-1 loss at the hands of Quinnipiac (8-5-1, 3-4-0) on Friday before rallying to tie Princeton (3-5-1, 3-3-1), 2-2, on Saturday.

“It was still another improving weekend,” tri-captain Kate Buesser said. “We showed some weaknesses in the Quinnipiac game. I think we showed a lot of heart fighting back in the Princeton game.”

HARVARD 2, PRINCETON 2

With under five minutes left in the third period, the Crimson seemed to be headed to its second straight loss to an unranked opponent. Down 2-1 to the Tigers at Hobey Baker Rink, Buesser and classmate Katharine Chute took matters into their own hands.

“[We were playing] two-on-two in the middle of the ice,” Chute said. “She and I criss-crossed. She went down the left side and made a beautiful pass to the back door, and I tapped it in.”

The goal, coming nearly 16 minutes into the third period, brought Harvard even with Princeton, and the Crimson did not let the Tigers take the lead again despite being outshot, 12-9, by Princeton in that frame.

While Chute’s late-game goal was the one that secured the tie for Harvard, the forward’s first goal also pulled the Crimson even.

Tiger sophomore Kelly Cooke had put Princeton on the board midway through the first period to give her team a one-goal lead it would hold for over 20 minutes of ice time.

It began to look like the night before, when an early goal by the Bobcats paved the way for an upset victory.

But 12 minutes into the second period, Chute found the back of the net.

Just as in the third period, the scoring play began with the efforts of Buesser on the forecheck. The puck then found its way to tri-captain Liza Ryabkina’s stick.

“She put the puck on net,” Chute said. “And I got it on my backhand and put it in the top.”

When Chute’s first goal wasn’t enough to put away the Tigers, who found the net in the opening minute of the third period, the forward responded with her second goal of the night, this time bringing the teams even for good.

“She’s been absolutely outstanding this year,” Buesser said of Chute. “It’s four years of work that’s finally paying off. This year, it’s all coming together. I think she’s definitely a leader on the team. She’s showing what hard work and dedication to this team can result in.”

The game also marked the first career start for freshman goaltender Lauren Joarnt, who made her collegiate debut in the third period against Quinnipiac. Joarnt made 20 saves in the tie.

QUINNIPIAC 4, HARVARD 1

In a game of career firsts for athletes on both sides, Bobcat freshman Kelly Babstock stole the show Friday night at the TD Bank Sports Center. The Quinnipiac rookie’s hat trick in the second period buried the Crimson’s hopes for a victory and overshadowed the play of Harvard sophomore Whitney Kennedy, who scored her first collegiate goal three minutes into the third period.

The Bobcats found the back of the net first when junior forward Chelsea Illchuk put the puck past Crimson sophomore goaltender Laura Bellamy midway through the first.

Though Harvard was able to hold Quinnipiac scoreless for the remainder of the frame, it lost its defensive composure as soon as the second period began. Before two minutes had expired in the second, Babstock had scored her first goal.

The Bobcat rookie found the back of the net twice more in that frame, teaming with Quinnipiac junior Kate Wheeler both times.

Their first dual effort came 6:45 into the second period, while the second came with less than three minutes to go before the break.

“She’s definitely a very skilled player,” Buesser said of Babstock, who leads the nation in scoring with 27 points. “I think we had a few defensive breakdowns all over the ice...[but] you definitely have to hand it to her. She played an outstanding game.”

A four-goal lead proved too much for the Crimson to overcome, but Kennedy’s late goal ensured that Harvard would not finish the game scoreless. The sophomore’s tally came three minutes into the third period.

“I don’t think the goaltender saw it at all,” Buesser said. “Our offense is needing some sparks. That line of [senior Ashley] Wheeler, Kennedy, and [freshman Kalley] Armstrong has been working pretty hard. [The goal] is really the result of hard work. Hopefully she can pour on a few more this year.”

—Staff writer Christina C. McClintock can be reached at ccmcclin@fas.harvard.edu.