No. 8 Field Hockey Powers Past Penn and Upsets No. 5 Wake Forest

The No. 8 Harvard field hockey team dominated the weekend, taking down the University of Pennsylvania on the road before returning home to host No. 5 Wake Forest for a top-10 matchup. After blanking the Quakers (2-7, 0-3 Ivy League), the Crimson (8-1, 3-0) overcame an early deficit to upset the Demon Deacons (7-4, 2-1 ACC) on Berylson Field.

With this weekend’s pair of wins, Harvard has now won 100 straight games against unranked opponents and has taken down its third nationally ranked team this season.

Harvard 4, Penn 0

The Crimson traveled down to Philadelphia, Pa., for a conference clash against the Quakers on Friday afternoon.

Harvard wasted little time asserting itself as the dominant team, seemingly unbothered by the 80-degree October weather.

The Crimson outshot Penn 7-0 in the first quarter, putting on an offensive masterclass. The Quakers struggled to clear the ball out of the circle, as Harvard’s forwards put significant pressure on the defenders. When Penn did manage to break the ball out, the Crimson’s defensive line smothered any rushes upfield.

With a little less than five minutes remaining in the frame, captain Lara Beekhuis drove into the circle, evaded her defenders, and ripped a shot on net. The Quakers’ goalkeeper managed the initial save, punching a bouncing rebound right to Piekarski. The 2025 Co-Offensive Ivy League Player of the Year wasted no time batting the ball out of the air and into the back of the net to tally Harvard’s first goal of the day.

Although it took an early lead, the Crimson’s offense showed no signs of slowing down. Sophomore forward Caroline Morris drove into the circle and drew a penalty corner with a little over a minute left in the first quarter. Junior midfielder Martha le Huray inserted the ball to freshman defender Elin van Sante, who corralled the pass and set up junior captain Tilly Butterworth for the shot.

A well-positioned defender deflected the shot, but Butterworth followed up, charging toward the net to batter the rebound home.

Harvard’s offensive onslaught continued into the second quarter. Freshman forward Evie Smith raced into the circle and dished the ball to le Huray. The junior deftly evaded a trio of Quakers and zipped a perfectly timed cross to sophomore forward Lucy Barker. The Malton, England, native dove toward the net and tipped the ball in to extend the lead to 3-0.

Penn, meanwhile, was barely able to create any offensive opportunities. The host did draw two penalty corners, but on the first, sophomore goalkeeper Linde Burger made a great save, and the Crimson’s defense easily thwarted the second attempt.

After the Quakers tried to string together a nifty passing play, Harvard responded in force. Freshman midfielder Holly Hartley made a run into the circle before passing to Piekarski. In her signature fashion, Piekarski deked out her defenders and the goalie to record her second goal of the day.

The Crimson entered halftime with a comfortable 4-0 lead.

To Penn’s credit, the hosts emerged from the break looking much sturdier. After being outshot 12-2 in the first half, the Quakers were able to put a bit more pressure on Harvard’s defense in the second, while preventing the Crimson from ramping up the score.

Much to the displeasure of Harvard’s head coach Tjerk van Herwaarden, Penn notched four shots in the third quarter, outshooting the Crimson 4-1 and forcing Burger to make multiple saves to keep the slate clean.

However, Harvard’s defensive line, composed of van Sante, junior Paige Cornelius, and senior Smilla Klas, clamped down to protect its 4-0 lead.

In the fourth quarter, the Crimson’s offense got back into its groove, suffocating Penn’s defensive line. As the Quakers struggled to force turnovers, van Herwaarden switched goalkeepers, letting Burger rest in preparation for Wake Forest and freshman Jenny Lee to make her collegiate debut.

Harvard made a few more runs toward the net in the final few minutes, spurred by the dangerous combo of Smith, Piekarski, Barker, and Butterworth. However, Penn’s defensive line stood firm, holding the Crimson to 4-0.

Harvard 2, Wake Forest 1

In its top-10 battle against Wake Forest, Harvard showcased its heart and its ability to hustle.

Six minutes into the game, the Demon Deacons converted on the first penalty corner of the afternoon. Senior Mia Schoenbeck, the 2025 ACC Offensive Player of the Year and a 2025 First Team All-American, ripped her shot perfectly from the top of the circle, giving the visiting team an early lead.

The teams traded possession for the remainder of the first quarter, but the Crimson’s offense lit up in the second.

Harvard outshot the Demon Deacons 8-1 in the second frame, forcing the visiting goalie to make several clutch saves. Then, with a little under four minutes remaining in the half, Smith broke through to record the equalizer.

The freshman’s goal was spurred by Beekhuis, who flexed her speed as she rushed through the midfield. Beekhuis shifted the ball to Piekarski, who selflessly dished it to Smith in front of the net. The rookie from Sutton Valence, England, put the Demon Deacon’s goalie through the spin cycle before firing the ball into the top of the net.

With less than a minute remaining, the Crimson’s defensive line forced a turnover. Harvard surged upfield, racing both the clock and Wake Forest’s defenders. Le Huray and Barker executed a perfect give-and-go, blazing past the Demon Deacons. Le Huray continued her streak of assists, sending a stellar cross to the waiting stick of Piekarski. The senior forward beat the visiting goalkeeper on the left side, putting her team ahead 2-1 at the halftime buzzer.

Piekarski now leads the Crimson with five goals, while le Huray has dished a team-high five assists.

Harvard did not relinquish its lead, and its offense carried the momentum into the latter half.

Neither team scored in the second half as the contest evolved into a defensive battle. The Crimson ultimately outshot Wake Forest 14-9, frustrating the Demon Deacons as it forced their goalie to tally seven saves throughout the contest.

Harvard earned four corners in the second half, but Wake Forest’s defense thwarted any Crimson attempt to extend the lead further. Defensively, Harvard held the Demon Deacons to just three shots in the half, protecting Burger in net as it secured the comeback win.

Now, the Crimson will strive to continue its undefeated conference streak as it prepares to host the only other Ancient Eight team with an unblemished league record: Cornell. So far, the Big Red (5-4, 3-0) have defeated Columbia, Brown, and then-No. 15 Yale.

In order to protect its position at the top of the Ivy League rankings, Harvard will have to beat Cornell on Friday afternoon. After its clash with the Big Red on Friday, the Crimson will travel to Syracuse, N.Y., for another top-ranked matchup against the No. 9 Syracuse Orange (6-3, 1-2 ACC) on Sunday afternoon.

—Isabel C. Smail is Sports Chair of the Harvard Crimson’s 153rd Guard. She can be reached at [email protected].