No. 6 Eagles Rout Lackluster Crimson

It appears that it’s time for the Harvard field hockey team to change its socks.

The Crimson had been wearing white socks since its first win of the season against Cornell, but the good luck charms could not work their magic last night at Jordan Field, as Harvard (2-11, 2-2 Ivy) was blown out by No. 6 Boston College (B.C.), 4-0.

The Eagles (13-3) wasted no time getting ahead. After intercepting a pass in the Crimson circle, B.C. forward Crystal Frates easily dropped her twelfth goal of the season in the back of the net behind junior goalie Siobhan Connolly.

Connolly replaced sophomore starter Kelly Knoche between the posts for the second straight game.

The goal was an early indicator of Harvard’s struggles throughout the game.

“Right off the bat we just kind of shot ourselves in the foot,” co-captain Gretchen Fuller said.

Harvard appeared to regain its composure, maintaining a strong defensive front for much of the first half.

But twenty-eight minutes into the game, the Eagles struck again. B.C. defender Lauren Parks lobbed a pass high into the air that landed inside the Crimson circle. Forward Caitlin Gillen pounced on the ball, putting it past Connolly on the first touch.

“[The Eagles’] aerial attack was quite successful for them,” Harvard coach Sue Caples said. “We need to play it better.”

Halftime arrived with B.C. on top 2-0.

The second half did not bode any better for the Crimson.

Harvard could not keep the Eagles out of the circle, allowing five penalty corners throughout the period.

B.C. translated two of these corners into scores, both by star forward Bob Dirks.

Dirks leads the Eagles with fifteen goals on the season.

“You can’t give a team like B.C. too many opportunities,” Caples said. “They’re very, very talented and can score from the field and from the corner.”

As woeful as its defense’s performance was, the offense was far from inspiring.

Harvard managed just one shot on goal throughout the entire game.

“That’s not good enough,” Caples said. “We have to be more dangerous and create better scoring chances for ourselves.”

“We were second-guessing ourselves at moments,” Fuller said.

The Crimson’s lone shot came after junior Tamara Sobek-Rosnick slipped through the Eagles’ defense for a breakaway. A B.C. defender tripped her up from behind in the circle, drawing a yellow card and giving the Crimson a penalty shot.

The shot hit the crossbar and ricocheted to the ground. The referee ruled it a miss, saying it did not cross the goal line.

“The ref said it didn’t go in,” Sobek-Rosnick said. “I trust the ref’s decision.”

Even after the tough loss, Harvard believes in its team’s ability to contend with powerhouses like the Eagles.

“We’re right on the edge, and we can play with and compete with these teams,” Caples said.

Fuller echoed the coach’s sentiments.

“I do think that our team is right on the cusp of being able to compete with a team like that,” she said.

Despite being 2-11 overall, the Crimson’s 2-2 record in the Ivies ties it for third in the league.

On Saturday, Harvard faces league rival Princeton, currently at the top of the Ivy standings. With a win, the Crimson would keep alive its championship hopes as well as prevent the Tigers from clinching a share of the title.

Harvard is looking forward to the challenge.

“It will be a great game—it’s always a battle,” Caples said. “We’re still going for the Ivy [title].”