Harvard Women’s Lacrosse Celebrates Senior Day, Falls to Cornell

In its final home game of the season, Harvard (5-7, 1-4 Ivy) fell just short of Cornell (8-5, 3-2), 13-11. Despite the Crimson’s strong effort throughout the game, the Big Red’s eight-goal second quarter cost the home team a senior day victory.

Harvard began the game with a player-up advantage thanks to an illegal pocket on the stick of a Cornell player. The Crimson capitalized on this momentum, with captain Kate Gilliam scoring the game’s first goal from the eight-meter, ripping a powerful sidearm shot after drawing a shooting-space call against the Big Red.

Mirroring the prior play, Cornell earned a free position off its Crimson defenders, allowing it to tally its first shot. However, the quick reflexes of Harvard sophomore goalie Emma Barkauskas prevented the Big Red from finding the back of the net, sending the ball back down to the Crimson’s offense.

Unfortunately for the Harvard faithful who lined Jordan Field, the Big Red intercepted a give-and-go pass, regaining possession. It was Cornell senior attacker Emily Iacobellis, who, with a little more than 10 minutes to go in the quarter, scratched the Big Red onto the scoreboard.

Uncontent with the equalizer, the Crimson fired off three successive goals. The first two of which were scored by senior attacker Charlotte Hodgson, who’s quick-stick from high to low beat out both the Cornell goalie and the shot clock. Hodgson entered the senior day tilt with incredible momentum, coming off a career-high seven goals against the University of New Hampshire. Harvard’s fourth goal came off a fast break from freshman attacker Cecila Batchelder, who found fellow freshman midfielder Natalie Marvin in front of the net to score, bringing the Crimson up 4-1.

As the last seconds on the clock dwindled, Cornell drew a foul, earning a free position opportunity and leaving Harvard a player down in dangerous territory. Enjoying the advantage, the Big Red was happy to play a settled game, searching for the prime opportunity to strike against the home team’s depleted defense. It took a twister from junior captain Ellie Bergin for Cornell to find a way through the Crimson, bringing the score to 4-2 as the first quarter closed.

A strong opening offensive play allowed the Big Red to strike early in the second, with a rocket of a goal from Iacobellis setting the tone.

The Crimson managed to regain possession, but a save by Cornell senior goalie Mackenzie Clark put Harvard on the back foot. An impressive run down the field by the Big Red’s sophomore midfielder Lexie Tully set up Cornell for its next goal — a bouncer shot through Barkauskas’s legs.

However, a quick turnover let Batchelder convert on a free-position shot to put the Crimson back in front.

Big Red maintained a high intensity, successfully moving the ball fast around the fan, keeping the Harvard defenders in constant motion. A textbook roll dodge into space created by her teammates allowed Cornell freshman midfielder Gretta White to notch her first goal of the game.

With momentum on its side, the Big Red surged forward with Tully putting her team ahead for the first time in the game, setting the score at 6-5.

The Crimson continued to stay competitive with Cornell, refusing to let it run away with the lead on Harvard’s senior day. Hodgson earned her hat-trick, which was the last Harvard goal of the half. The Big Red, meanwhile, scored three goals in quick succession to close out the half with a 10-6 lead.

Unwilling to let Cornell leave it in the dust, the Crimson started the third quarter out strong. Three consecutive goals, including a ball that narrowly snuck past the goal line by Gilliam, brought Harvard back even with the Big Red at 10-10.

A heavy-handed push by sophomore defender Hayla Dora gave possession back to Cornell, which capitalized on the opportunity. Feeding in from behind the goal, senior attacker Ella Wilmot found Bergin to complete her hat-trick on the day, once again putting the Big Red in front.

Harvard quickly answered, with Batchelder converting from an impressive angle while coming around the goal to knot the game at 11-11 heading into the final quarter.

In the fourth, Cornell began on the front foot. Consistent cycling of the ball around the fan kept its defense in motion, but the Crimson did not sit idly by. Dora led the charge against the Big Red, breaking up passing lanes and putting pressure on the ball carrier to prevent another drive toward Barkauskas. When Cornell eventually did break through Harvard’s defense, Barkauskas did not let the ball slip past her.

Though Harvard managed to clear the ball down to its attackers, it was unable to convert to a goal due to a successful check on the ride by Cornell’s defense.

Ever a threat to her defenders, it was no surprise when Bergin took on her Crimson match-up. Giving her an inch of room can completely open up the goal, and open up the goal she did, firing off a shot to the top right corner, putting Cornell back into the lead.

Harvard then had another opportunity to get back on level with the Big Red.

A card on Cornell due to a check to the head gave Harvard more flexibility to work around the goal. Yet it was a shooting space call against the Big Red that gave the Crimson its best chance of the quarter. However, Clark stood firm, preventing Harvard from drawing level.

Clark’s clear back down the field directly led to her team’s final goal of the game. Tully drew her own shooting space call and sent a bouncer into the depths of the goal, cementing Cornell’s win.

Despite a disappointing final scoreline, the Crimson still celebrated its graduating class of eight seniors. Gilliam, Hodgson, midfielders Hannah Shiels and Kate Izzo, attacker Abbie Izzo, and defenders Despina Giannakopoulos, Maggie Turner, and Maeve O’Brien have all made notable contributions both on and off the field for the Harvard team.

The team will travel down to New Haven, Conn., next weekend to face off against its historic rival, No. 12 Yale. The Bulldogs are the only team to have qualified for a spot in the Ivy League Tournament. The game will start at 12:00 EDT and can be livestreamed on ESPN+ for those hoping to watch from Cambridge.

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