The Harvard women’s lacrosse team sizzled under the scorching spring sun, trouncing New Hampshire 10-4 to snap a six-game losing streak yesterday afternoon at Jordan Field.

Led by the stellar goalkeeping of junior goaltender Laura Mancini, the Crimson (2-8, 0-3 Ivy) seized the momentum early and never looked back.

“I think that Laura really kept us in [during] the first half, allowed us to mentally step up,” sophomore Elaine Belitsos said.

Mancini held the Wildcats (1-10) scoreless for the first 24:30 of play, turning away shots from point-blank range and the rebound efforts that followed.

“[On] this one play when they had a shot and a rebound, she made a save and a kick save,” co-captain Katie Shaughnessy said. “We all fed off that. She would make a great save, and we would all use that energy bringing the ball down the field.”

The confidence Mancini was exuding at the back spread like wildfire among Harvard’s players.

“We’ve been working on the same stuff the whole [season],” Shaughnessy said. “I think it came together today because of confidence.”

Attempting to counter Mancini’s stellar play, New Hampshire swarmed the net early, but their shots met only the netting of her stick and—on two occasions—the cold metal of the goal posts until less than six minutes remained in the half.

Seizing on the momentum generated at the back, Harvard’s offense picked apart the Wildcats’ defense early and often, scoring three goals in the first 12 minutes en route to its highest final tally of the season.

“We got the shots,” Shaughnessy said. “In past games we were finishing games getting just 10, 12 shots. The key thing today was getting the 27 shots, getting decent looks at the goal.”

But it was not merely the number of shots that provided an edge, but the distinct variety which has often been lacking in the team’s efforts thus far this season.

“I think one of the most dynamic parts of our attack came from the variety of shots we were taking, whether it was off a free position or just a nice flow down the field,” Belitsos said.

Shaughnessy propelled the squad to its early lead, receiving a pass from junior midfielder Jen Brooks and burying it in the back of the net for the first of her three goals on the afternoon. Six minutes later, Shaughnessy matched her early goal with her first of three assists as she expertly directed the ball to a streaking Bessie Clark.

As the game drew to an end, Shaughnessy would provide the game’s finest goal.

Senior Katie O’Brien’s pass deflected off of Shaughnessy’s stick where it hung in the goal mouth for the briefest of moments, until Shaughnessy swiped it from the air and into the goal in one fluid motion sealing the Crimson victory.