No. 3 Field Hockey Falls to No. 12 UMass, Rebounds with Win Over Boston College

After kicking off its season with wins over UMass Lowell and No. 10 UConn, the No. 3 Harvard Crimson continued its homestand, taking on two local foes: the No. 12 University of Massachusetts and Boston College.

The Crimson (3-1) fell 3-1 on Friday, as the Minutewomen (6-0) launched a three-goal barrage in the second half. Harvard then effortlessly bounced back on Sunday, braving rainy conditions to defeat the Eagles (2-4) 2-1.

UMass 3, Harvard 1

On Friday afternoon, it looked like Harvard was primed to extend its regular-season win streak to 22 games, as the Crimson struck first.

A little over seven minutes into the game, junior midfielder Martha le Huray ripped a cross into the circle. Positioned perfectly by the post, captain Lara Beekhuis expertly deflected the ball into the back of the net. With the goal, the Laren, Netherlands native not only put her team ahead 1-0, but also extended her scoring streak to three straight games.

Unfortunately for the Harvard faithful, though, the Minutewomen rallied after the halftime break.

Late in the third quarter, UMass swiftly recorded two goals in two minutes, taking a 2-1 lead.

The Crimson responded in force, outshooting the visitors 6-4 in the final frame. In fact, Harvard earned seven penalty corner opportunities in the fourth quarter alone, as it pummeled the Minutewomen’s defensive line.

Toward the end of regulation, head coach Tjerk van Herwaarden pulled sophomore goalkeeper Linde Burger, adding an extra player on the field in hopes of an offensive edge. Burger, the 2025 Ivy League Rookie of the Year, tallied two crucial saves earlier in the contest to help keep the Crimson in contention.

However, UMass took advantage of the empty-net opportunity, stealing possession of the ball and scoring with a little under five minutes left on the clock to seal the 3-1 upset.

Harvard 2, Boston College 1

On Sunday, Harvard braved downpour conditions on Berylson Field as it faced off against its local rival, Boston College.

The Eagles started the game with most of the possession. After drawing a penalty corner, the visitors forced Burger to make a crucial kick save. As the sophomore booted the ball away from the net, the Crimson’s defense was able to clear it out of the circle and upfield.

Spurred by Burger’s excellent play, momentum shifted in favor of Harvard.

Senior forward Sage Piekarski, the 2025 Ivy League Co-Player of the Year, made a valiant rush toward the net. Shortly after, sophomore midfielder Rosa Kooijmans slipped through defenders, crossing the ball perfectly toward the net. Although neither player could convert, possession of the ball remained firmly in Harvard’s hands.

The Crimson taunted the Eagles, swiftly passing the ball around the circle as it looked for an opening. Finding an opening in the defensive line, le Huray dished the ball to Piekarski, who deked out BC’s goalie before slamming the ball home.

After taking a 1-0 lead, Harvard continued to fire shots at the net for the remainder of the quarter, outshooting the Eagles 8-2.

In the second quarter, BC charged towards Burger. Undaunted by the pressure, Burger made a dramatic diving save to keep the slate clean.

The Crimson’s defense regrouped as it zipped the ball safely upfield to its forwards. Harvard’s relentless pressure in the circle eventually drew a penalty corner.

Le Huray inserted the ball. Beekhuis blasted the ball toward the net, but the Eagles were able to deflect the initial shot. The ball bounced in front of the net as everyone scrambled for the clutch tap-in. Eventually, it was le Huray who secured the ball off a rebound and sent it into the top shelf of the net, extending the lead to 2-0.

As the battle continued into the second half, the rain seemed to intensify.

Harvard persevered through the weather, outshooting the Eagles 6-1 in the third quarter. The Crimson earned five penalty corners in the quarter, but the wet conditions made it hard for both teams to handle the ball in tight areas.

BC then shocked the host, as freshman midfielder Ike Jakobsen slipped a stray shot into the back of Harvard’s net. However, the Crimson squashed all of the Eagles’ further attempts at a comeback.

Harvard successfully outshot BC 22-9, forcing the visiting goalkeeper, senior Charlotte Kramer, to make nine saves during the contest.

With the win, the Crimson fostered momentum as it headed into Ivy League play, with its next contest at Dartmouth (1-2) on Friday evening.

Currently, three of the Ancient Eight programs rank among the top-20 teams in the nation: No. 3 Harvard, No. 4 Princeton, and No. 18 Yale. Ivy League play is notoriously competitive, and it is essential that the Crimson take down the Big Green to position itself for success in the conference rankings.

Harvard field hockey fans who are unable to make the trip up to Hanover, N.H., can tune into ESPN+ at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18 to catch the action.

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