Co-captain Gretchen Fuller attempts a steal in earlier action. The Crimson lost its tenth game of the season last night.

While consecutive hard-fought losses to No. 12 Providence College and No. 5 Duke University were justifiable, last night’s defeat on Jordan Field at the hands of cross-town rival Northeastern (6-6) substantially added to the frustration of the now 0-10 Harvard women’s field hockey team.

“I think it was a great cross-town game, a great regional game, a great battle,” said Harvard head coach Sue Caples. “But it gets hard to play always battling back.”

After an odd pregame musical play list featuring both current pop and original Tupac, play began in a similarly disjointed manner. Neither team was able to find an opening in the early minutes as play centered at midfield.

The Crimson got a scare shortly thereafter as the Huskies earned a penalty corner.

Northeastern sophomore midfielder Ashley Bascetta passed the ball in to senior forward Whitney Shean, who loudly rocketed the ball off the near post. Shean would continue to pressure, taking four of Northeastern’s ten shots.

The Crimson threatened to score next, earning a penalty corner of its own. However, after senior back Jennifer DeAngelis passed the ball in, the Huskies blocked junior back Devon Shapiro’s shot.

“When, we’re in the attacking third of the field, we need to come away with something positive,” Caples said.

As the first half came to a close, Harvard seemed to let down its guard on defense. Junior Husky forwards Stephanie Casper and Shean formed a dangerous combination on offense, repeatedly stretching the Crimson down its right flank.

With less than four minutes remaining in the first half, Northeastern drew first blood off a penalty corner.

Freshman back Suzanne Hazelzet, named the Colonial Athletic Association’s rookie of the week after converting two goals on penalty corners, laid off the ball for Bascetta to slam in past diving Harvard sophomore goalie Kelly Knoche.

The Crimson mounted an attack, but was unable to find a way to equalize before the halftime whistle.

A Harvard defensive lapse and a brilliant Northeastern play put the Crimson down 2-0 as the second half began. Shean dribbled down Harvard’s right side, then crossed the ball just past Knoche. Completely unmarked junior forward Ashley Webber dived to reach the ball, barely getting her stick on the ball to tap it into the goal.

Down by two, the Crimson suddenly found its groove offensively. Junior midfielder Dana Berglund received the ball in front of the Huskies’ goal, but was unable to turn fast enough to score.

Soon after, sophomore back Abbie Harpstead had a shot blocked, while sophomore back Francine Polet put the ball just over the goal on a penalty corner.

Sophomore midfielder Kayla Romanelli looked to be on a breakaway before being fouled.

The Crimson also found new life at the defensive end of the field. Hustle plays by Berglund and Polet nullified offensive opportunities for the Huskies.

“We picked it up and we did start hustling, but obviously that’s something we need to do all game,” said senior captain and midfielder Audrey Ziomek.

As the clock wound down, a Harvard pass across an open goal mouth failed to find anyone cutting to the ball to score, a missed opportunity that epitomized Harvard’s play last night.

However, when the Crimson return to the pitch Sunday against Ivy opponent Cornell, it can take comfort in how close this game came to having a totally different outcome.

“We’re almost there. We’re so close, we just have to keep coming out every day working hard,” Caples said.

“We had some nice touches, and touches turn into shots, and shots will mean goals.”