No. 3 Harvard Field Hockey Blanks No. 16 Old Dominion in First Round of NCAA Tournament

After falling to then-No. 11 Yale in the Ivy League Tournament semifinals, the No. 3 Harvard field hockey team returned to Berylson Family Field with a vengeance, assertively taking down No. 16 Old Dominion 4-0 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Due to its exceptional regular season campaign, the Crimson (16-2, 7-0 Ivy League) earned the third seed in the tournament and secured hosting rights for the first round. Meanwhile, the Monarchs (15-5, 3-3 Big East) upset the No. 4 University of Connecticut to win the Big East Championship, nabbing an automatic bid to the national draw.

The contest between the two teams began as a true defensive battle, as neither offense could create a strong chance inside the circle. Harvard registered the lone shot of the opening frame, but the teams remained deadlocked at the end of the first 15 minutes.

A little over a minute into the second quarter, junior forward Emily Bronckers opened up the scoring. The Crimson drew a penalty corner, and junior midfielder Martha le Huray inserted a perfect pass to Bronckers. The Blaricum, Netherlands native received the ball, took a quick dribble into the circle, and drilled a shot home, tallying the first goal of the day.

Despite Harvard taking a 1-0 lead, the fierce battle between the teams’ defenses persisted. The Crimson’s back line, anchored by sophomore All-Ivy First Teamer Linde Burger in goal, consisted of senior All-Ivy Tournament Team honoree Smila Klas and two All-Ivy Second Teamers, rookie Elin van Sante and junior captain Tilly Butterworth.

Harvard prevented the Monarchs from registering a single shot on net in the first half of play, consistently disrupting their offensive rushes by forcing turnovers in the midfield.

After the halftime break, Old Dominion visibly picked up the pace, recognizing that the clock on its season was dwindling.

The Monarchs earned two penalty corners in the third quarter, but the Crimson’s fliers easily snuffed out both set plays. In fact, during the entire game, Burger only faced one shot on net, which she booted away from the cage.

In the fourth quarter, Harvard’s offense showcased its offensive prowess, delighting the hometown crowd at Berylson Family Field. After drawing a corner, captain Lara Beekhuis, another All-Ivy First Team member, tallied the first of the frame.

Le Huray inserted the ball again, zipping a swift ball to the top of the circle. Beekhuis, renowned across the country for her shot-making, blasted one past Old Dominion’s goaltender, doubling the Crimson’s lead.

With a little less than four minutes remaining in regulation, the Monarchs pulled their goaltender, adding another forward to the pitch in desperate hopes of leveling the score.

However, the two-time Ivy League Co-Offensive Player of the Year, senior Sage Piekarski, capitalized on the empty-net opportunity, scoring two quick goals and tallying her 100th career point in the process.

The senior scored her first goal off an excellent pass from sophomore forward Lucy Barker, who split through defenders and connected with Piekarski as she raced up the field. Piekarski dribbled through a cluster of Old Dominion players before finding the back of the net.

A minute later, she struck again. Le Huray drove the ball into the circle and tapped it to Bronckers, who saw Piekarski sprinting down the wing. Bronckers fed the ball to the senior, who hammered a backhand shot into the net past the returned goalkeeper for a dominant 4-0 win.

On Sunday, Harvard will host its cross-state rival, the No. 14 University of Massachusetts, in the second round of the tournament. The Minutewomen (18-2, 9-0 MAC) are one of two programs that have defeated the Crimson this year, after winning 3-1 earlier this fall. To secure its ticket to the second round, UMass beat No.6 Yale, the Ivy League Tournament Champions and only other team to beat Harvard, on Friday evening. Harvard will undoubtedly look to secure both revenge and a return ticket to the Final Four.

The teams will clash on Berylson Family Field on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. EST. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+ for those who are unable to make it to Cambridge.

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