W. Lacrosse Crushes Columbia, Nudges Past Notre Dame in Indiana

Moose Krause Stadium is all the way in South Bend, Ind., but it sure felt like home for the Harvard women's lacrosse team last weekend.

Maybe it was nice to get out of the New England rain. Perhaps it helped being at a Catholic school for Easter. Regardless, the Crimson (6-5, 3-3 Ivy League) won both games in South Bend, coming from behind for a 12-10 victory over host Notre Dame yesterday after wiping out Columbia, 15-3, for a conference victory on Sunday, to snap a two-game losing streak.

Junior co-captain Alli Harper collected eight goals and four assists on the road trip. Harper continues to lead the team in both goals (21) and overall scoring (28 points). Sophomore attacker Lizzy Frisbie added six goals, and eight other players scored for the Crimson.

Harvard 12, Notre Dame 10

The Crimson came from behind for the victory, pouring in four goals over the final 12 minutes to overcome a two-goal deficit and complete the weekend sweep.

A goal by Notre Dame sophomore Natalie Loftus gave the Fighting Irish (5-9) a 10-8 lead midway through the second half, but the Crimson held the Irish scoreless over the final 15:35. Then the Harvard offense went to work on Notre Dame goalkeeper Tara Durkin, who made 10 saves in the loss.

Harper cut the Notre Dame lead in half with 11:47 remaining with an assist from freshman attacker Sara Burg. Attacker Jamie Hagerman, Burg's classmate who doubles as a defenseman on the women's hockey team, got the equalizer three minutes later.

Burg then set up the eventual game-winner, feeding sophomore midfielder Gretchen Puttkamer with 5:45 remaining, who found the back of the net to put the Crimson in front for the first time in the second half. Junior midfielder Megan Austin added an insurance goal two minutes later to seal the win.

More importantly, the Harvard defense found a way to quiet Notre Dame junior Lael O'Shaugnessy down the stretch. O'Shaugnessy scored the 100th goal of her three-year career in the first half, then exploded for two goals in the first three minutes of the second half to spot the Irish a 9-7 lead. But O'Shaugnessy's stick was silent after that as she watched the Crimson go on a 5-1 scoring run to end the game.

Harvard and Notre Dame traded punches in the first half. Each team held one two-goal lead, but a score by Loftus 41 seconds before halftime sent both squads to intermission deadlocked at 7-7.

Harper and Frisbie scored six of the Crimson's seven goals in the opening 30 minutes, and Burg added a helper to give her three assists on the afternoon.

Senior defenseman Becca Brown scored Harvard's first goal of the game, and sophomore defenseman Hilary Walton contributed a goal and an assist.

The Irish outshot the Crimson, 22-19, but freshman goalkeeper Nora Guyer made 11 saves to earn the victory.

Harvard 15, Columbia 3

While most Harvard games were being canceled due to rain on Sunday, the women's lacrosse team stormed to the most lopsided victory of its season over helpless Columbia (5-7, 0-6), 15-3, at Moose Krause Stadium.

The Crimson treated the Lions' net as a bucket that collects rainwater, pouring in a season-high 15 goals in the route.

As usual, Harper led the way with four goals and three assists. Frisbie and sophomore midfielder Heather Gotha both turned the hat trick, while Hagerman and junior attacker Lauren Corkery scored two goals apiece. Puttkamer scored her second goal of the weekend.

Columbia has yet to win an Ivy game, and Harvard was not about to become the Lions' first victim even though the game was played on a neutral site. Columbia had fewer shots than Harvard had goals, and Guyer recorded seven easy saves between the Crimson pipes for the win.