Field Hockey Scores Just Once in Pair of Opening Weekend Losses

After a 3-13 campaign last year, the Harvard field hockey team dropped its first two games of this season under second-year coach Tjerk van Herwaarden.

The Crimson lost its season opener Friday night at Richard F. Garber Field in Amherst, Mass., against No. 14 Massachusetts before falling to Bryant on Sunday in its home opener.

BRYANT 2, HARVARD 1.

After an opening game loss to Massachusetts, Harvard (0-2) scored early against Bryant (3-1) as it looked for its first win of the season. But, the team was unable to hold on, losing 2-1 in a game that came down to the last play.

Less than three minutes into the game, freshman Marisa Balleza had a shot ricochet off the post, allowing fellow freshman Sarah Finnemore to rebound the shot for her first collegiate goal.

“It was pretty exciting,” Finnemore said. “Actually four of the players on Bryant, including the goalie, were on my team in high school so that was a fun way to score my first goal.”

But Bryant chipped away at the Crimson’s lead, scoring off a penalty corner in the 27th minute.

Harvard’s defense was able to limit Bryants’ opportunities inside the scoring area, holding Bryant to eight shots but in the 54th minute the Bulldogs scored again off a penalty corner.

The Crimson continued to get opportunities until the end of the game, culminating with a penalty corner as time expired. Harvard got one free play, until the ball left the scoring area, but was unable to convert.

Play ended on a controversial kicking penalty call, where it appeared the goalie kick-saved the ball, but Harvard was called for the penalty.

“The official didn’t think [it happened that way], so you win some and you lose some,” Herwaarden said. “It was an unfortunate game. We got fifteen shots on goal, which is high for us since we are not an offensive powerhouse.”

MASSACHUSETTS 3, HARVARD 0

Harvard started its season Friday night against No. 14 Massachusetts (4-0). The Crimson did not register a shot until the 37th minute of the game and failed to record a shot on goal all night in a 3-0 loss to the Minutewomen.

The UMass offense took 12 shots and received nine corners in the first half. Though senior goalie Jenn Hatfield had six saves in the first stanza, it was not enough to keep the Minutewomen off the board as Massachusetts scored twice off of corners in the span of six minutes.

Junior back Lauren Allymohamed started the scoring for the Minutewomen in the 25th minute off an assist from freshman midfielder Charlotte Vereist. In the 31st minute, sophomore midfielder Brooke Sabia made the score 2-0 in favor of Massachusetts.

“Playing a tough opponent early on really exposes your weaknesses and shows you what you need to work on,” junior forward Noel Painter said. “We came in with the mentality of trying to upset them and start off the season strong, and though it didn’t work out we saw a lot of stuff in the game film that we can work on moving forward.”

Harvard came out stronger in the second half and immediately received back-to-back shots from Balleza and junior forward Kaitlyn Boudah.

The increased presence of the Crimson’s attack would have no effect in the outcome of the game however, and the Minutewomen put the game away in the 69th minute with a goal from freshman forward Izzie Delario.

Harvard’s offense finished the night with only four shots, and two of those occurred in the final 10 minutes with the game out of reach. Balleza led the Crimson with two shots in her first collegiate action.

Harvard’s defense allowed Massachusetts 20 shots, but Hatfield came up big time after time on her way to nine saves on the night in only the third start of her career.

“Jenn Hatfield really stepped up in the goal,” sophomore back Elizabeth Jacobson said. “She had to face a lot of corners and she made some huge stops.”

—Staff writer M. Ty Aderhold can be reached at michael.aderhold@thecrimson.com.

—Staff writer Jacob W. Lynch can be reached at jacoblync@gmail.com.