“The energy on our bench, the way the kids executed, was amazing,” Harvard head coach Ted Minnis said. “There was that special excitement of a championship run.”

Riding this wave of emotion, Harvard made sure there would be no comeback this year.

The team scored three more goals in the last quarter to finish the game on an 8-2 run.

Goaltender Colin Woolway stood out on defense, making several key stops to spark the rally. The senior finished the game with eight saves.

HARVARD 14, MIT 12

Before the Crimson had a chance to end their losing streak against Princeton, Harvard faced a spirited MIT team that was trying to improve its own record in a one-sided rivalry.

The Engineers were the stronger side for much of the game, and did not lose its lead until the fourth quarter, when the Crimson took the lead for good. The energy was palpable, with fans as much a part of the game as the players themselves.

“It’s a good challenge to play there,” Minnis said. “They’re always banging the pots and making it tough for our players to focus.”

The change in venue made for a different matchup than when the two teams met earlier this season at Blodgett Pool. That day, Harvard handily beat MIT, 15-9.

“The crowd definitely gives us a mental edge,” freshman MIT attacker Jeffrey Zhang said.

Senior team scoring leader Noah Harrison added to his total with four goals in the game. Freshman attacker Grayson Judge matched Harrison with four strikes of his own, doubling his previous single-game high.