W. Lacrosse Snaps Losing Streak With Big Victory

The Harvard women’s lacrosse team sizzled under the scorching spring sun, trouncing New Hampshire 10-4 to snap a six-game losing streak yesterday afternoon at Jordan Field.

Led by the stellar goalkeeping of junior goaltender Laura Mancini, the Crimson (2-8, 0-3 Ivy) seized the momentum early and never looked back.

“I think that Laura really kept us in [during] the first half, allowed us to mentally step up,” sophomore Elaine Belitsos said.

Mancini held the Wildcats (1-10) scoreless for the first 24:30 of play, turning away shots from point-blank range and the rebound efforts that followed.

“[On] this one play when they had a shot and a rebound, she made a save and a kick save,” co-captain Katie Shaughnessy said. “We all fed off that. She would make a great save, and we would all use that energy bringing the ball down the field.”

The confidence Mancini was exuding at the back spread like wildfire among Harvard’s players.

“We’ve been working on the same stuff the whole [season],” Shaughnessy said. “I think it came together today because of confidence.”

Attempting to counter Mancini’s stellar play, New Hampshire swarmed the net early, but their shots met only the netting of her stick and—on two occasions—the cold metal of the goal posts until less than six minutes remained in the half.

Seizing on the momentum generated at the back, Harvard’s offense picked apart the Wildcats’ defense early and often, scoring three goals in the first 12 minutes en route to its highest final tally of the season.

“We got the shots,” Shaughnessy said. “In past games we were finishing games getting just 10, 12 shots. The key thing today was getting the 27 shots, getting decent looks at the goal.”

But it was not merely the number of shots that provided an edge, but the distinct variety which has often been lacking in the team’s efforts thus far this season.

“I think one of the most dynamic parts of our attack came from the variety of shots we were taking, whether it was off a free position or just a nice flow down the field,” Belitsos said.

Shaughnessy propelled the squad to its early lead, receiving a pass from junior midfielder Jen Brooks and burying it in the back of the net for the first of her three goals on the afternoon. Six minutes later, Shaughnessy matched her early goal with her first of three assists as she expertly directed the ball to a streaking Bessie Clark.

As the game drew to an end, Shaughnessy would provide the game’s finest goal.

Senior Katie O’Brien’s pass deflected off of Shaughnessy’s stick where it hung in the goal mouth for the briefest of moments, until Shaughnessy swiped it from the air and into the goal in one fluid motion sealing the Crimson victory.

At 17:54 in the first half, O’Brien provided some breathing room with a flick of the wrist, scoring to give the Crimson a 3-0 lead. O’Brien’s goal ushered in a 12-minute scoreless stretch characterized by closely contested play and consistently stingy net minding by Mancini.

Finally, with 5:30 remaining in the half, the New Hampshire offense got the best of Mancini, scoring to pull within two goals. But the score did not signal the end of Harvard’s dominance.

Rallying to retake the momentum Harvard returned the favor with a goal of its own just eight seconds later.

Shaughnessy set up Belitsos as she cruised through the heart of the New Hampshire defense and scored with a deft catch-and-shoot move.

But first half supremacy has been standard fare for the Crimson all season long. Harvard’s great weakness throughout the season has been the tendency to let down its guard in the second half.

Unwilling to fall victim to the same trap, the Crimson opened the period with a flurry of offense, as Belitsos sprinted down the field in the opening minute and whipped the ball past the New Hampshire goaltender.

“We played a complete game both with the first half and the second half,” Shaughnessy said. “We wanted to make sure we came out in the second half as strong as we did in the first.”

Later in the half, Belitsos completed her first hat-trick of the season on a feed from O’Brien to match Shaughnessy’s three-goal performance.

But beyond the individual efforts, the depth of the bench provided a spark in Jordan Field’s sweltering heat.

Switching substitutes in and out throughout the course of the game, the Crimson never lost a step, while keeping every player rested and ready to return to action.

“I think it was great to know that we were in and out especially at midfield,” Shaughnessy said. “It’s great to know we have such a great bench. We had new people in all the time and playing together.”

For Harvard its second win of the season and the confidence it brings could not have come at a better time as it strives to gain momentum for its final four Ivy contests.

“This was just absolutely crucial for our own mental confidence, not even considering our standing or record,” Shaughnessy said. “It’s just been a matter of time before it happened. It finally all came together.”

The Crimson will have the opportunity to stretch its winning streak to two as it prepares for a showdown at Ivy rival Princeton on Saturday at 2 p.m.

—Staff writer Sean W. Coughlin can be reached at coughl@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Timothy J. McGinn can be reached at mcginn@fas.harvard.edu.