Harvard Field Hockey Beats UMass 1-0, Returns to NCAA Final Four

In front of a rowdy crowd at Berylson Field, the Harvard field hockey team successfully defended its pitch in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, beating its in-state rival, the University of Massachusetts, in a 1-0 defensive showdown.

The Crimson (17-2, 7-0 Ivy League) delivered a defensive masterclass over the Minutewomen (19-3, 9-0 MAC), holding the visiting team to just two shots throughout the entirety of the match.

After falling 3-1 to UMass in the regular season, Harvard’s offense came out of the locker room looking for revenge this afternoon. The Crimson ripped five shots toward the net in the opening quarter, determined to take an early lead.

Harvard’s relentless drives into the circle forced the Minutewomen’s graduate student goalkeeper Rozárie Mrázová to register two quick saves. Despite the goaltender’s effort in the cage, her team struggled to secure possession of the ball, largely due to the Crimson’s suffocating pressure in the midfield.

After disrupting a UMass rush up the pitch and forcing a turnover, Harvard marched into the circle and drew a penalty corner opportunity. Junior midfielder Martha le Huray was tasked with inserting the ball.

The Teddington, England, native sent a perfect ball to the top of the circle to freshman defender Elin van Sante. The rookie collected the ball and teed it up for junior captain Tilly Butterworth to rip a blistering shot on net.

Butterworth’s blast zipped toward the top right of the net, but Mrázová made a diving save, blocking the ball with her outstretched stick. Unfortunately for the goaltender, the rebound bounced right to Crimson captain Lara Beekhuis, who had rushed to the net for a tip.

The senior forward deftly evaded a defender on the goal line before ripping a backhanded sweep into the net. Beekhuis has now logged 11 goals in her final season with Harvard, three of which have been game-winners.

The Crimson headed into the second quarter with a 1-0 lead, but did not let up its pressure. The team repeatedly broke through the Minutewomen’s defensive line, recording three shots in the frame.

On the other end of the pitch, Harvard’s defense stayed strong, preventing UMass from getting a shot on net. Although the Minutewomen were able to draw a penalty corner, the visitors faltered under the pressure from the Crimson’s fliers, who charged the ball handler and forced a turnover.

After the halftime break, UMass ramped up its own pressure, attempting to level the score.

However, Harvard’s defense held firm. Linde Burger, an All-Ivy First Teamer and the Crimson’s sophomore goaltender, logged her first and only save of the game, helping her team keep its slate clean.

The teams then repeatedly traded possession in the midfield. As the clock on its season ticked down, the Minutewomen fought desperately for an equalizer. However, Harvard’s kept interrupting its offensive rushes, dispelling any chance of a comeback.

In the final frame, UMass’s head coach Barb Weinberg opted to pull Mrázová from the net with a little over six minutes left, hoping that the additional field player would help save her team’s season. However, the effort was unsuccessful, as the Minutewomen could not even register a shot.

Even with the player disadvantage, the Crimson maintained possession for most of the fourth quarter and created its own offensive opportunities.

Senior forward Sage Piekarksi, the two-time Co-Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year, made a late rush down the field, eyeing the empty net. The Concord, Mass., native recorded her 100th point in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Old Dominion. However, multiple UMass defenders clumped around her, preventing Harvard from extending its lead in the final minutes of play.

With the 1-0 win, the Crimson will now advance to the Final Four for the second consecutive season. Last year, the team fell in a heartbreaker to Princeton. This year, the No. 5 Tigers were eliminated in the Elite Eight by the No. 4 University of Connecticut, so Harvard does not have to worry about facing another Ancient Eight opponent.

Instead, the Crimson is scheduled to clash with the second-seeded Maryland Terps, who are making their 22nd appearance in the Final Four. Maryland (20-2, 7-1 Big10) has only lost to the Northwestern Wildcats, who are not only the top-seeded team in the bracket, but also the reigning national champions.

Northwestern is set to face UConn in the other quarterfinal match, while Harvard will strive to take down the Terps and make an appearance in the National Championship Game. The Crimson and the Wildcats are the only two teams to have yet to allow a goal in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

Before taking the head coaching position for Harvard, Tjerk van Herwaarden was a member of Maryland’s coaching staff, where he helped the team win five national championships in just seven seasons.

The Crimson and the Terps will battle at noon on Friday, Nov. 20, at the University of Louisville, which is hosting the tournament’s final games. The match will also be streamed live on ESPN+.

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