Field Hockey Blanks Columbia, Awaits Tuesday’s NCAA Tournament Decision

NEW YORK, N.Y.—All the Harvard field hockey team can do now is wait.

The No. 16 Crimson (12-5, 5-2 Ivy) closed out its regular season on Saturday with a 3-0 shutout victory over Columbia (1-16, 0-7) at Wein Stadium.

Now, it is up to the NCAA selection committee to decide whether Harvard will be among the field of 16 in the NCAA Tournament.

With the victory, the Crimson finishes the year tied with Yale for second in the Ivies behind Princeton, which will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Harvard’s shutout—its seventh of the year—also furthered its case for an at-large berth in postseason play, an invitation that was extended to the Crimson in 2002.

“We definitely are a very big bubble team,” tri-captain Jen Ahn said. “We had to come out strong and play a great game.”

The Crimson’s superior offense showed its teeth little more than 13 minutes into the game, with senior forward Mina Pell finding the back of the net on a rebounded penalty-corner shot.

“On corners, you definitely need to execute,” Pell said. “You’re looking to score on every chance.”

Just under five minutes later, Pell again had a hand in the Crimson charge, assisting sophomore forward Beth Sackovich’s goal on another penalty corner.

Harvard continued to pepper the Columbia goal with shots throughout the first half, but the tenacious Columbia defense stubbornly prevented the Crimson from cashing in on repeated occasions.

In addition to the Lions’ feisty effort, the quirky artificial turf of Wein Stadium also played a noticeable role in hampering Harvard’s offense.

“The turf was dry and stitched in some areas and played bumpier than most fields,” said Ahn, who handles the stick stop on Harvard’s penalty corners. “I found it hard to stop [the ball].”

The Crimson shelling of the Columbia goal recommenced in the second half, finally coming to fruition five minutes into the period on another penalty corner. Tri-captain midfielder Kate McDavitt assisted Sackovich, who leveled a shot that deflected off the Lions’ goalie’s foot into the top right corner of the net.

Tri-captain Kate Zacarian was solid in goal with five saves, including a nifty diving stop of a Columbia shot on a penalty corner early in the second half.

The Lions squad suffered from offensive impotence and couldn’t put together any sustained scoring threats, while the Crimson defense, led by Ahn, diffused the few attacks that Columbia was able to muster.

The Lions’ best opportunity came with 11:30 left in the game, when a Harvard penalty before a Columbia shot negated a Lion goal. Columbia could not convert on the subsequent penalty corner.

The Crimson’s focus is now on the NCAA selection show, which will be broadcast over the internet at 8 p.m. tomorrow night.