Women’s Lacrosse Rings in 50th Anniversary with a Win Over Brown

The Harvard women’s lacrosse team extended its win streak to three in front of more than 200 alumni today, celebrating the milestone with a big win over Brown.

The Crimson (4-5, 1-2 Ivy) entered the game with offensive momentum, coming off a dominant 17-9 victory over the Holy Cross Crusaders, and an upset win over the then-No. 12 Duke Blue Devils in Durham, N.C.

The team marched onto the field through a column of cheering alumni, who were adorned in commemorative scarves. Some of the alumni even brought their wooden sticks, showing up to proudly honor 50 years of the Harvard women’s lacrosse program.

The celebratory start clearly helped spur the Crimson to success early in the game. Although Brown (4-5, 1-2) was able to scratch the first point onto the scoreboard, junior midfielder Grace Mullahy responded, getting the Harvard crowd rowdy as she fired two quick free-position goals.

Freshman midfielder Cecelia Batchelder kept the scoring coming for the Crimson, continuing her impressive rookie season. The Newburyport, Mass., native notably scored six goals against Holy Cross on Tuesday night. Her older sister, junior attacker Callie Batchelder, then zipped a feed to Mullahy, who recorded a first-quarter hat-trick.

Sophomore midfielder Tori Balser then scored to put the home team up 5-1. Harvard’s dominance in the draw circle enabled the Batchelder duo to strike again in the first quarter, as Callie dished a helper to Cecelia, who scored her second goal of the day.

In comparison to the Crimson — which had racked up a 6-1 advantage in the first 15 minutes of play — the Bears looked slow and disorganized, perhaps fatigued by the bus ride up from Providence, R.I.

Harvard’s momentum bled into the second quarter, as senior midfielder Charlotte Hodgson tallied a goal. A little over a minute later, freshman midfielder Natalie Marvin notched a goal of her own, extending the Crimson’s scoring streak to eight.

“I am so honored to be a part of such an extraordinary team and to see the inspiring group of alumnae who came to support our program,” Marvin said after the game. “Our team is led by the most incredible captains and coaches, and these past few games have truly showcased who Harvard Women’s lacrosse is.”

Brown was finally able to get the ball into its offensive zone and get a second point on the scoreboard.

However, the Bears’ goal did not seem to discourage Harvard’s offense. Callie Batchelder set up Hodgson for her second goal of the day, followed by freshman midfielder Lexie Koch adding another goal. Throughout the contest, Koch excelled in the draw circle for the Crimson, wrangling in six of the team’s 11 draw controls.

Although Brown recorded a third goal late in the half, Harvard boasted a dominant 10-3 lead at the break.

The Crimson’s captain, attacker Kate Gilliam, initiated the scoring in the third quarter. With the team up 11-3 and showing no signs of slowing down, all signs pointed to Harvard running away with a dominant win on Jordan Field.

However, the Bears suddenly rallied and went on a five-goal hot streak, blanking the Crimson for the remainder of the quarter and continuing their run into the fourth.

Brown was able to shift the momentum in the midfield and retain possession of the ball. Meanwhile, Harvard’s defense, which utilizes a fiercely aggressive style of play, was plagued with cards. The Bears were able to capitalize on the penalties and scored two of their goals while they were a player up.

With the score at 11-8 and just 3:48 remaining on the clock, nerves were running high for the fans and Crimson lacrosse alumni who lined Jordan Field. Brown had the ball and momentum on its side, and it appeared that it might complete the comeback.

However, a stellar ride by Harvard forced a crucial turnover. As it regained possession, the Crimson pushed the ball upfield, striving to defend its home turf.

Harvard got the ball into the trusty hands of Gilliam, who deftly passed to Hodgson. The senior midfielder ripped a shot home, effectively icing the game.

The Bears made a late surge of their own, notching one more goal on the scoreboard, but it was too late to alter the outcome of the game.

The Crimson erupted into cheers, celebrating its third straight win and an incredible 50 years of success.

“I’m so grateful to be in the same program as all the incredible women who came before me,” said Marvin. “Today’s win represented the determination and commitment of Harvard Women’s lacrosse over the last 50 years.”

The team now has a full week to prepare for its next match-up, in which it will face another Ivy League foe, Penn (4-5, 2-0). Harvard hopes to secure its fourth consecutive win and bolster its rank amongst the competitive Ancient Eight teams. Fans who are unable to make the trip to Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pa., can tune in to ESPN+ for a live broadcast at 12:00 p.m. EDT.

—Staff writer Isabel C. Smail can be reached at [email protected].

—Staff writer Matilda C. Genieser can be reached at [email protected].