No. 3 Harvard Field Hockey Beats Brown, Advances to Ivy Championship Game on Sunday

The No. 3 Harvard field hockey team (17-0, 8-0 Ivy) kept its perfect season alive on Friday morning, defeating No. 19 Brown (10-6, 4-4 Ivy) 2-0 in the Ivy League Tournament semifinal match on Berylson Field.

With the win, the Crimson advances to another Ivy League Championship Final as it strives to secure its third consecutive Ivy League Tournament title. On Sunday at noon Harvard will take on the winner of the other semifinal match, No. 5 Princeton (14-3, 7-1).

The Crimson, which earned tournament hosting privileges due to its undefeated Ancient Eight record, entered the tournament as the top seed. This fall, Harvard made history, becoming the first program in the Ivy League to ever secure a perfect regular season record.

In the first quarter, both the Crimson and Brown’s defenses held firm, keeping each side to just one shot. Neither team was able to nab a penalty corner chance or gain any sustained offensive possession.

Harvard’s defense, which continued its season-long run of being aggressive, yet smart with its pressure, forced the Bears to repeatedly turn the ball over in the midfield. Earning possession, the Crimson’s defenders, anchored by three-time All-American Bronte-May Brough in the backfield, sent the ball zipping upfield to its offense. The midfielders expertly facilitated the forward momentum, pushing the ball into scoring territory and creating multiple fast break chances for the home team.

Finally, with just 31 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Harvard was able to break through Brown’s defensive line during a rapid push upfield. Sophomore Martha le Huray drove forward, hammering a shot towards the net. Positioned in front of the net, junior forward Sage Piekarski smoothly tipped the ball past the Bears’ goalkeeper, Ellie Parker.

Crimson fans erupted into cheers as El Alfa’s La Mamá de la Mamá blasted from Berylson Field’s speakers, celebrating the home team’s goal. Harvard’s players, both on the bench and on the field, danced happily, ringing in the goal.

Merely five minutes later, in the second quarter of play, the Crimson doubled its lead. Junior midfielder Lara Beekhuis picked up a loose ball near the top of the circle, deftly drove through three defenders, and ripped a shot over Parker to make it 2-0. Beekhuis, the 2024 Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player, has now scored ten goals this season and tallied an impressive 25 points.

For the rest of the quarter, Harvard dominated possession of the game and sent five shots blazing toward the net. Notably, the Crimson’s defense supressed the Bears’ efforts of mounting a comeback by preventing Brown from shooting during the entirety of the quarter.

After the halftime break, the Bears began to ramp up their own pressure, fighting in hopes of earning the chance to play another game. Brown earned a penalty corner opportunity, but Ivy League Rookie of the Year, Linde Burger made a critical save, allowing Harvard to maintain its two-goal lead.

On another fastbreak for the Crimson, Piekarski was toppled by Parker who had stepped out of the net in hopes of stuffing a potential shot. Harvard was granted a penalty stroke for Parker’s hit. Head Coach Tjerk van Herwaarden tasked sophomore midfielder Tilly Butterworth with the stroke. The Norwich, UK native stared down Brown’s other goalkeeper, Kylee Del Monte, who entered the game just to face the stroke shot.

Butterworth ripped a formidable shot towards the net, but with a dramatic ding, it rang off the left post and out of bounds. Del Monte raced off the field, to be replaced by Parker in the goal. After Brown’s goalie switch, Harvard’s offensive onslaught persisted, as it earned two consecutive penalty corner opportunities to close out the quarter.

In the final quarter of play, the Bears’ desperation was apparent. The visiting team fought valiantly, striving to ignite a comeback and dish Harvard its first lost in Ivy League Tournament history. Although Brown was able to outshoot the Crimson in 6-1 in the last fifteen minutes, largely because they pulled Parker and added an extra field player to have a woman-up advantage, the Bears were unable to score.

Harvard’s defense remained calm throughout the entirety of the contest, but its compsure was particularly apparent in the final few minutes of the game. The Crimson’s defensive squad blocked shots, maintained its structure, and refused to give Brown the space or time fire off a clean shot. Thanks to the stellar defensive play and a few critical saves, Burger was able to tally her eighth shutout of the season.

Despite the Bears’ late offensive surge, when the whistle blared signaling the end of the game the scoreboard read 2-0 in favor of Harvard.

The Crimson heads to the Ivy League Championship Game on Sunday at noon, where it will face off against No. 5 Princeton in a rematch of last year’s title bout. Harvard will look to secure its third consecutive Ivy League title and extend its unblemished record.

— Staff writer Isabel C. Smail can be reached at isabel.smail@thecrimson.com.