Shapiro Beats Buzzer, Lions

Looking back at its winless first half of the season, a respectable place in the Ivy League standings seemed an unrealistically optimistic objective for the Crimson field hockey team. But, as Harvard proved in its explosive season finale, it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.

The Crimson (4-13, 4-3 Ivy) gave its home crowd a show on Saturday afternoon, winning a 2-1 overtime victory against league opponent Columbia (7-10, 1-6) to claim a share of second place in the Ivies.

As the clock expired, junior Devon Shapiro capitalized on a Harvard penalty corner, ending the season with a clamor in the back of the net.

“We came out to win,” sophomore goalie Kelly Knoche said. “Everyone was determined to finish with a bang and losing our last game was not where we wanted to end.”

Just ten seconds before the sounding of the first overtime buzzer, freshman Elizabeth Goodman-Bacon slapped a shot on goal to procure the penalty. Senior Jennifer DeAngelis, wearing her Crimson uniform for the last time, took the hit, finding Shapiro on the circle.

Junior Tamara Sobek-Rosnik started the Harvard march toward its tenth consecutive triumph over the Lions. Sobek-Rosnik skillfully evaded the Columbia goalie during a rare penalty stroke in the first half.

The Lions controlled the game’s early play, gaining the first penalty corner. But Columbia could not convert on its offensive opportunities, challenging Knoche with only three shots on goal in regulation.

The Lions, though, did not allow the Crimson to get too comfortable. Columbia earned a corner and launched the ball deep into the Harvard net. Fortunately for the Crimson, the shot was ruled a high hit, inducing an audible sigh of relief across Jordan Field.

Abruptly shaken back to reality, Harvard countered with a penalty corner of its own. Sophomore Francine Polet nearly snuck the ball over the line, but a quick-thinking defender knocked the shot away.

Again the recipient of good fortune, the Crimson was awarded a stroke after a Lion defender illegally used her foot to deny a Harvard offensive attempt. Sobek-Rosnick slung the shot over the goalie’s left shoulder to put the Crimson up 1-0.

Late in the game the Lions, growing weary of continnued Harvard pressure, hustled down the right side of the field and knocked a diagonal pass past Knoche to force overtime.

Knoche remained solid between the pipes, allowing for Shapiro’s game-ending heroics. Knoche doubled her regulation save count, racking up six saves as Harvard strode to victory.

“It was very exciting to place second in the league, and I think that really says something about the character of this team,” Goodman-Bacon said. “We worked hard throughout the season and were constantly interested in improving.”

And improve they did. The Crimson’s mediocre league record, barely breaking the .500 mark, nonetheless landed it among Penn, Yale, and Cornell in the Ivy League runner-up spot behind undefeated Princeton.

To its credit, Harvard took four of its final five Ivy contests, including a two-game win streak to conclude the season.

“We were all very happy to end the season with two wins, and I think we are all ready to continue our winning streak into next year,” Shapiro said.

—Staff writer Courtney M. Petrouski can be reached at petrousk@fas.harvard.edu.