Field Hockey Faces Off Against Braves

The Harvard field hockey team looks to keep its perfect record on its home turf alive this afternoon as it takes on Quinnipiac at Jordan Field.

Today's meeting between the Braves (5-5) and the Crimson (6-2, 3-0 Ivy) marks the first ever meeting in the schools' histories.

Harvard is coming off an important 3-1 victory over Ivy League rival Penn on Saturday, and looks to sharpen its play against the non-conference Braves.

"We don't really know too much about Quinnipiac," junior forward Kate Nagle said. "We just want to play well, and build on this game as we head towards our Ivy League games."

In Quinnipiac, Harvard is facing a school that has just started playing top-notch collegiate field hockey. The Braves are only in their fifth year as a varsity sport, and just their second season as a Division I program.

Despite being a relatively young program, Quinnipiac could be dangerous. Last season, the Braves grabbed a share of the Northeast Conference Championship by finishing the regular season with a 6-2 record in league play.

And after a slow start this year, Quinnipiac comes into today's contest on a three-game winning streak. In those contests the Braves have outscores their opponents by a combined 10-2 margin.

Despite Quinnipiac's recent success, Harvard looks to be the favorite going into the contest.

Leading the Crimson offensive attack is tri-captain Dominque Kalil. Kalil leads the team in scoring with 18 points on six goals and six assists. That total also places her in a tie for second place atop the Ivy League scoring ladder.

Assisting Kalil on offense is Nagle, who ranks second on the team in scoring with 13 points on six goals and an assist. Nagle has scored in six consecutive games and was recently named to the Ivy League Honor Roll for her excellent play.

In the midfield, junior Maisa Badawy has been superb. She has been a force for the Crimson, tallying one goal and five assists so far this season. Badawy's explosive speed has been crucial to Harvard's transition game and has created many scoring opportunities.

Tri-captain Katie Schoolwerth anchors a stingy defense that has allowed just 13 goals in just eight contests this season.

In goal, Tri-captain Anya Cowan has been stellar. Cowan has provided poise and leadership in front of the net, allowing just 1.76 goals per game, which is good for fourth-best in the Ivy League. Her .819 save percentage places her second overall in the league.

Against the Braves, Harvard hopes to build some momentum as it prepares for the rest of the Ivy League schedule.

"The Ivy League is always the most important thing for us," Nagle said. "But we aren't looking ahead of Quinnipiac. We take it one game at a time."

Harvard continues its Ivy League crown chase on Saturday when it travels to Ithaca to take on league rival Cornell.