Field Hockey Left Grounded by Eagles

The Harvard field hockey team (5-7, 1-3 Ivy) challenged No. 7 Boston College (12-4, 1-3 ACC) Wednesday night at the Newton Field Hockey Complex, keeping the game interesting for the first 50 minutes of play before ultimately succumbing to a superior opponent.

A win for the Cimson would have marked the team’s first victory against the Eagles in the last nine contests between the teams. However, the Eagles were ultimately able to best Harvard, 5-2.

“The game was much closer play-wise than the score reflects. We came out really hard, and we were able to get the first goal. We definitely gave the BC players a run for their money,” junior Noel Painter said.

In this regional matchup, the reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Week winner, Crimson freshman forward Marissa Balleza, once again displayed her abilities.

Within the first three minutes of the game, Harvard was granted a penalty stroke for BC misconduct in its defensive circle. Balleza, the leading scorer for the Crimson, found the back of the net for the seventh time this season in her one-on-one opportunity against sophomore Eagles goalie, Leah Settipane, giving Harvard an early lead.

“[The freshmen] have added so much talent to our team,” sophomore back Elizabeth Jacobson said. “We have a lot of respect for them on the field. It’s great to have some strong, competitive new players.”

Balleza and classmates Sarah Finnemore and Sophie van Weede have together accumulated 13 goals and three assists so far this season. Finnemore also earned an Ivy League Rookie of the Week honor this season.

But the Crimson’s 1-0 lead was short lived.

BC responded three minutes later when midfielder Emma Plastera took the ball downfield and drove towards the goal into the anticipating stick of AshLeigh Sebia. Sebia, who finished with a hat-trick, deflected the ball high over the shoulder of Harvard goalkeeper Jenn Hatfield.

“BC was a very fast, physical, and on top of the ball team. They were able to connect well,” Painter said. “But I still think that we held our own…we were able to get the ball out into the midfield and to the forward line to get opportunities, shots [and] corners.”

After a successful transition of the ball into its offensive circle, the Crimson was awarded another stroke early in the second half. Balleza, Harvard’s go-to stroker, was once again able to take advantage of the chance. Her second goal reduced the deficit to one, but it was the last score for the Crimson.

After BC midfielder Katlyn Soucy scored her first goal of the year, extending the Eagles’ lead to two, Harvard head coach Tjerk van Herwaarden relieved senior Jenn Hatfield from her goalie post. Sophomore Issy Davies replaced Hatfield for the rest of the match.

“Issy had an amazing game,” Jacobson said. “She had some really impressive saves.”

Davies totaled a season high of nine saves in her 35 minutes of play. However, strong goaltending was not enough. The Eagles continued to put pressure on the Crimson defense, ultimately outshooting Harvard, 21-11.

“We came out into the game with a great attitude,” Painter said. “Our goal was just to go out there and play and hopefully have fun while matching up against a really good team. We need to keep practicing high ball speed and taking a lot of shots and getting a lot of corners.”

The Eagles scored on two of their 15 corner shots of the night.

“We took a lot of hits on the defensive corners. We definitely have to work on those,” Jacobson said. “BC is used to competing with some of the best schools in the country, and I think they were a little frustrated that they couldn’t get more goals on us.”

In last year’s meeting against the Crimson, BC downed Harvard 3-0.

“We’re all very happy with how we played,” Painter said. “BC is a highly ranked team, and this game has given us a huge amount of momentum going into Saturday when we will play a very good Princeton team.”