Spring recess was not kind to the Harvard women’s lacrosse team, as the Crimson (2-5, 0-1 Ivy) dropped three games, opening its Ivy season with a loss and extending its winless slump to five games.

“In some ways, we had moments of playing our best, and I think we had moments we definitely let down,” captain Kelly Noon said.

The Crimson’s Ivy opener revealed a squad that could fight back from a 3-0 deficit against one of the best defenses in the country, an important statement for a team that has had trouble coming from behind.

“What we’re trying to do is take one step forward with the defense,” senior attack Casey Owens said.

CALIFORNIA 11, HARVARD 6

Harvard opened its spring break play on Sunday, March 27 in a bout against the Golden Bears that was closer for most of play than the final score would suggest. The Crimson kept up through the first half, but the scoreboard seesaw gave way in the second, as California went on two three-goal runs to build an insurmountable lead.

The Bears outscored Harvard 6-2 in the second half—6-1 after the breakaway from senior midfielder Elaine Belitsos that started the scoring 30 seconds into the half and tied the game at 5-5.

Junior midfielder Allie Kaveney broke up California’s run with an unassisted goal halfway through the second.

“We weren’t playing strong enough one-on-one defense,” Noon said. “They beat us at stuff we’re typically strong at.”

Sophomore midfielder Caroline Hines made the first mark on the scoreboard for a lead with an unassisted goal with 24:56 left, her first of the season. The lead bounced back and forth through the next thirty minutes, as the Bears broke ahead and Harvard succeeded in evening the margin.

Freshman midfielder Natalie Curtis tied the game at 2-2 with 9:31 left in the first with a shot from free position. The only Crimson player to notch multiple goals, Curtis would tie the game up again four minutes later on an assist from sophomore midfielder Margaret Yellott, one of her two in the game.

Neither team demonstrated a clear advantage in the statistics that reflect the real dominance of the game—Harvard led on shots attempted (27 to 26) and draw controls gained (11 to 8), and the Bears snagged more groundballs (12 to 11), and both teams committed an equal number of turnovers.

“It is encouraging that the statistics are pretty even,” Owens said. “We know we’re right there.”

One difference lay in shots from free position—California converted on 4-of-8, while the Crimson capitalized on 1-of-5.

BUCKNELL 11, HARVARD 8