{shortcode-f60cafc83daf0b7d35afcc7fe22756c5d06d4ea9}

With eight games down and six wins under its belt, No. 15 Harvard field hockey is off to a rocketing start this season. The first four games were against ranked opponents: Miami University (Ohio), University of Connecticut, University of Maryland, and American University, and the team has since opened Ivy play.

“We play these games to see where we stand and what we can do against those top teams,” said head coach Tjerk van Herwaarden. “That's eventually the level we want to play consistently.”

The Crimson defeated Miami 1-0 in overtime and overcame American in a tight 3-2 squeeze after a game-winning goal by sophomore Lucy Leel. Though Harvard succumbed to Maryland and UConn, those losses are not to be ashamed of. Maryland, ranked fourth in the Division I National Coaches Poll, grasped a Final Four seat alongside Harvard last fall. The Terrapins victory did not come easy, however, as the Crimson scored first in the early second quarter with a fiery shot from junior Siofra Murdoch. Maryland then tied it up, scoring again late in the third quarter. Maryland had to fight to score against the tough defense of the Crimson, with defensive powerhouse senior Ellie Shahbo making six impressive saves.

“I think that the Maryland game showed us that we have the quality to play at that level, that we have the talent on the field that can compete with teams that are ranked in the top five,” commented van Herwaarden, who previously helped coach the Terrapins, winning five national championships in seven seasons.

“Ultimately I think we're still very young…I think a game like that early this season showed a lot of potential for us. That game itself created a lot of hope and excitement for what we’re able to do this season.”

First-year players have made a sizable impact on the success of the team in the past eight games, namely Bronte-May Brough, who was named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.

“Our first years are definitely finding their role on the team…I think that will continue to progress as we continue throughout the season” the head coach remarked.

That progress has already begun to take shape, making it more clear who fits best in certain positions, particularly within the offense. Harvard, notorious for its resilient defense, has illustrated how the offense and defense are beginning to mesh together despite the newness of the faces of the team.

“In the game against UConn, the game might have come a little bit too early for us…we still had too many people searching for their role, searching for what our best structure would be as a team to play for the season,” van Herwaarden said.

“We are more fine-tuning our pressing scenarios up front, so it's all clicking together more…with a few people stepping up to the plate and how the leadership development is, it's just been a bit better into the swing of things.”

With four of their toughest games behind them, the focus of van Herwaarden’s players right now is to get into the best shape possible for Ivy League competition. Harvard understands that people will come to Cambridge intent on beating the reigning Ivy League champions and a Final Four team.

“The reality of it all is that the Ivy games come with a whole level of energy,” said van Herwaarden. “So far every single team has been able to step up against us and play their best game…we need to be able to withstand that with our structure and stay disciplined in our organization.”

Harvard is not taking this preparation lightly; in fact, the team has trained with the United States Marine Corps in a strenuous physical test and session to get them prepped for Ivy play.

“We really felt it went well… making sure everybody feels included, part of the program, and energized,” the coach reflected.

“[It was] a different type of preparation before Ivy league play. It should get us ready for what we need to do.”

So far, that preparation has worked well for the Crimson, as they got the better of Columbia in a 3-1 contest, with goals from first-years Brough and Kate Oliver, as well as sophomore Emily Guckian.

Harvard is now on a five-game winning streak. It garnered a 1-0 victory against Monmouth by the works of a double-overtime goal from junior Avery Donahue, the same player who scored the overtime goal against Lousiville in the first round of the NCAA tournament to reach the quarterfinal round for the second time in program history.

In this streak lies three shutouts for Shahbo against Monmouth, Northeastern, and Boston University, the latter of which was the team’s Title IX Celebration Game.

As for these teams coming on strong to beat Harvard, it has followed through: in the game against Northeastern, the Huskies tried to rally near the end after the Crimson secured two hard-fought goals in the second half. However, Harvard has demonstrated that it will push back against the force brought on by its rivals.

“I think we showed that we’ve been able to do that also against Northeastern who wanted to show us up in the final five minutes of the game or so, and we also showed in the games past,” commented the head coach.

“We need to be fully understanding that every team that comes to Harvard will be the best team that they can be and present enough strength to us and do what we can.”

And still, this mighty team has yet to prove otherwise.

Harvard will next hit the road for a pair of weekend games against Ivy foe University of Pennsylvania and ranked adversary No. 10 Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Penn.

​— Staff writer Mairead B. Baker can be reached at mairead.baker@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @baker_mairead.