No. 8 Field Hockey Beats No. 10 Princeton in a Rainy Rivalry Shootout

For the second straight game, the No. 8 Harvard field hockey team found itself in a shootout.

This time, however, it was its Alumni Day, and the match was against its archrival, the No. 10 Princeton Tigers.

The two foes, and a packed sideline of loyal fans, braved the miserable Nor’easter conditions throughout the 75 minutes of play. Despite the cold, tensions ran hot on the field and in the stands, where outraged parents from both sides persistently voiced complaints to the referees.

After four quarters and 15 minutes of overtime failed to separate the Crimson and the Tigers, Harvard successfully defended Berylson Field in the shootout. The home team scored on all four of its attempts, and sophomore goalkeeper Linde Burger tallied two massive saves to seal the dramatic 2-1 victory.

With the win, the Crimson (6-1, 2-0 Ivy League) not only asserted its place at the top of its conference standings but also avenged its devastating loss to Princeton (4-3, 1-1) in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament and its controversial loss in the Ivy League Championship last fall.

Throughout regulation play, the two teams battled intensely, trading possession in the midfield. The incredibly slick conditions appeared to make it difficult for both sides to make clean passes across the pitch.

Less than four minutes into the second quarter, Harvard drew its third penalty corner of the game. Junior forward Martha le Huray inserted the ball, sending it blazing across the circle to sophomore midfielder Rosa Kooijmans. The Bussum, Netherlands, native was unfazed by the sopping wet field, settling the ball perfectly for her fellow Dutch teammate, captain Lara Beekhuis. The senior forward fired the ball into the back of Princeton’s net, recording her fourth goal of the season and putting her team ahead 1-0.

Spurred by its offensive success, the Crimson’s defensive line held firm, anchored by freshman Elin van Sante and senior Smilla Klas.

Both teams found their offensive rhythms after the halftime break. Harvard fired off six shots in the third quarter, and the Tigers responded with five of their own.

Unfortunately for the Crimson’s fans, who were craving a quick win and a warm coffee, Princeton’s sophomore midfielder Saylor Milone capitalized on a penalty corner play to secure the equalizer.

Harvard took the field with a vengeance in the fourth quarter. The Crimson dominated possession, firing five shots toward the Tigers’ goalkeeper while blanking the visitors.

After a drastic Princeton infraction within the circle, Harvard was awarded a penalty stroke. Junior captain Tilly Butterworth, who netted the game-winner in the shootout last game, stepped up to take the shot.

Although Butterworth blasted a shot on goal, the Tigers’ goalie came up with a clutch save, keeping the score deadlocked at 1-1.

The Crimson was undeterred and maintained its offensive onslaught throughout the remainder of regulation time. That said, the home team was unable to convert a goal, so the game headed into overtime.

In the additional quarter, Princeton earned a penalty stroke of its own. However, Burger, the 2025 Ivy League Rookie of the Year, lived up to her strong reputation and kept her team’s hopes alive.

In a fitting, cinematic fashion, the game extended into a shootout.

Beekhuis took the first shot and effortlessly poked the ball past the Tigers’ goalkeeper.

After Princeton responded with a goal of its own, le Huray deftly deked out the keeper and blasted a shot into the back of the net.

Yet again, Princeton responded. Luckily for the Harvard fans, though, freshman Evie Smith did not falter and drove another shot into the net.

Just as the Crimson got revenge on the Tigers, Burger redeemed herself against Milone, tallying an enormous save to put Harvard ahead.

Kooijmans tallied the last goal of the day for the Crimson, and then Burger iced the game, making another stop to secure the win.

Now, only Harvard and Cornell remain undefeated in the notoriously competitive Ivy League. That said, the Big Red has a 3-4 overall record, but upset No. 15 Yale on the road in its last outing. The Crimson has established an impressive 6-1 resume, including its wins over then-No. 8 Princeton and current No. 7 University of Connecticut.

Harvard will take on the University of Pennsylvania (1-6, 0-2) in Philadelphia, Pa., on Friday. The road trip will mark just the second time that the Crimson has played an away game this season. It is essential that Harvard beats the Quakers in order to maintain not only its high national ranking, but also its standing within the Ancient Eight.

The Crimson will then return home to take on the toughest opponent it’s faced so far, No. 5 Wake Forest (6-3, 1-1 ACC). The Deacons have extensive experience playing against top-ranked teams. So far, they have lost to No. 6 Iowa in overtime, beaten No. 15 Michigan, fallen by one to undefeated No. 2 Maryland, and lost in overtime to No. 3 Duke. Although it has not always come out on top in such matches, Wake Forest is conditioned to compete with these notable programs.

Both games are notable for Harvard, which hopes to earn hosting rights for the Ivy League Tournament and eventually a coveted spot in the NCAA Tournament.

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