BU Takes Down Harvard in Make-Up Game

The Harvard women’s lacrosse team found itself yesterday in the unique circumstance of playing BU for the second time in a week, after last Wednesday’s game was called off midway due to snow.

The Crimson (2-8, 0-2 Ivy) trailed the Terriers (5-5, 1-1 America East) 10-4 after 25 minutes of play last week at Nickerson Field. This time, Harvard fell 17-8 in full regulation time.

“It was almost like a once in a lifetime opportunity to play a team, be losing, and get a chance to come back to play them again,” junior attack Caroline Simmons said. “We had a really good warm-up, but unfortunately, they were just too fired up to play from the start.”

Harvard fell behind quickly, as BU struck only 16 seconds into the game with a goal from sophomore midfielder Sarah Dalton. Little more than a minute later, freshman Traci Landy notched a second score for the Terriers.

“I think they took us by surprise, they had some really strong fast breaks from the start and took it right to the goal,” Simmons said.

From there, the BU attack rained shots on the Crimson’s goal. By the time twelve minutes had elapsed, the Terriers had scored seven more goals. Dalton completed a hat trick less than ten minutes into the game.

Harvard found itself playing without junior midfielder Natalie Curtis, who is third on the team in goals with 14. Curtis broke her wrist last Saturday against Yale, when she was checked to the ground sprinting toward the goal with less than a minute remaining.

“Unfortunately, we got off to a slow start and it took us a while to really get in the game,” Simmons said. “Once we started getting some of the draws, things started coming our way. We started causing turnovers and really pressured the ball, and things started to come our way.”

Simmons led the charge, putting Harvard on the board with an unassisted goal 20 minutes into the half. Sophomore attack Kaitlin Martin made the score 9-2, scoring on free position shot.

BU was able to match Harvard’s tally, however. Landy notched her third goal of the game, while Angie Martin scored the last goal of the half.

At half time, the Crimson trailed by a score of 11-2. Harvard had been outshot 21-11 and had committed 13 turnovers to the Terrier’s seven.

The beginning of the second half seemed similarly inauspicious. BU scored the first four goals of the period, three of which came from reserves.

After trailing the Terriers last Wednesday, the Crimson had focused in practice on better execution when on the attack. The team practiced on winning its draws and on making cuts to receive quick passes on offense. Trailing 15-2 Monday night, the Harvard attack finally found its groove.

“[In the first half] we were in a position where we were down by seven goals, and we were just so anxious to take it to the cage and get a goal,” Simmons said. “We were just so flustered and anxious to score we weren’t taking our time and waiting for the good shot.”

Junior attack Tara Schoen and freshman attack Lexie Comstock won a series of draws, paving the way for a Crimson run. Sophomore attack Kelly Alverson scored an unassisted goal for Harvard, followed by scores from Simmons, freshman Sara Flood, and Kaitlin Martin.

BU’s Jenny Martin scored to put the Terriers up 17-6, but Harvard had the last word of the match. Flood put in her second of the game, while the Crimson’s leading scorer, Kaitlin Martin, notched her third.

More aggressive defense helped Harvard rebound in the second half.

“I’ve got to give tribute to our defense because they really played their hearts out,” Simmons said. “We were playing a high pressure defense on the ball and our goalie stepped up big.”

The Crimson plays next Saturday at home against Princeton, the most dominant women’s lacrosse team in the Ivy League for the last decade.

“Granted, our record is not the best, but in any Ivy game, it doesn’t even matter what your record is,” Curtis said. “Yale just beat Princeton for the first time in fifteen or so years. We think this year is the end of their dynasty.”

—Staff writer Tyler D. Sipprelle can be reached at sipprell@fas.harvard.edu.