Published by
Julian Ryan on September 19, 2013 at 10:13PM
Problem sets are already starting to roll in and the work of the semester is actually beginning to sink in, but don’t lose hope. The fall brings another season of Crimson sports, and here are five games to look forward to.
Harvard Football vs. Yale, November 23
It’s called “The Game” for a reason. The one time each year the entire student body rallies against a common enemy should be the primary date in your Crimson sporting calendar. Don’t stay at home for this one.
Harvard Crew, Head of the Charles Regatta, October 19-20
One of the spectator events of the fall season occurs right on our doorstep. Take a day, wander down to the river, and enjoy some of the best rowing competition in the world. What more do you want?
Harvard Football vs. Princeton, October 26
After last season’s gut-wrenching defeat to an incredible fourth quarter comeback by Princeton, the Crimson will be gunning for revenge when the Tigers come to Cambridge in late October. The game also has the potential to be crucial for deciding the Ivy title, adding more fuel to the fire.
Harvard Women’s Ice Hockey vs. Cornell, November 15
These teams were dead even last year, splitting their regular season meetings and the ECAC regular season title before Cornell edged Harvard out in the final of the ECAC conference tournament. Traditionally, the men’s rivalry has been fiercer, but this year, it may be that the women’s games will be the most intense.
Men’s Basketball vs. Holy Cross @ TD Garden, November 10
In case you hadn’t heard, men’s basketball might be really good this year – like really good. The team opens their season heavily favored against a Holy Cross team, but what a great venue. Playing at the TD Garden in front of the national media, you can be sure that Tommy Amaker’s boys will do their best to put on a show.
Rising senior Lyndsey Fry, pictured above in action in 2012, and four other past and current Harvard women's hockey players made USA Hockey's 25-man roster, which was announced Monday.
Five current and former Harvard women’s hockey players edged another step closer to the Olympics as USA Hockey announced its 25-player U.S. Women’s National Team in a press conference Monday morning. Rising seniors Lyndsey Fry and Josephine Pucci and rising junior Michelle Picard will join Crimson alumnae Kate Buesser ’11 and Julie Chu ’06-’07 as members of the squad that will begin a residency training program in September based at The Edge Sports Center in Bedford, Mass.
Harvard and Minnesota were the top-represented NCAA schools on the roster, each with five players named to the team. The squad will train under Katey Stone, the head coach of both the Harvard team and Team USA. This season, Stone coached the Crimson to her 402nd career win and led this past year’s National Team to a gold medal at the 2013 World Championships.
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Former world No. 4 and Harvard tennis star James Blake, who turned pro after his sophomore year in 1999, won his first round match against Thiemo de Bakker at Wimbledon Tuesday. The win advanced Blake to the second round at Wimbledon for the first time since he was ousted in the second round in 2008.
With a resounding straight-set win against Thiemo de Bakker on Tuesday, James Blake is once again in the second round of Wimbledon. It is the first win in five first-round efforts for Blake, who had not won a main draw match since the Sony Open in March, where he won two rounds before falling to Spaniard Albert Ramos in three sets.
Blake was the No. 1 rated college player as a Harvard sophomore in 1999, before dropping out to join the pro tour.
Against de Bakker, Blake surrendered just six games in breaking his opponent in every set. He amassed 17 break points and converted six of them, a low 35 percent conversion rate that was offset by his strong serving. The Yonkers, New York native had seven aces against just one double fault and won 88 percent of his first serve points. He allowed his opponent only one break point, which he saved.
After reaching a high of number four in the world in 2006, Blake has slowly slipped down the rankings over the last four years due to a combination of inconsistency and injury. Throughout it all, Blake’s one-handed backhand has always been a volatile stroke. When it shows up, he can play with anyone—as evidenced by his wins over all-time greats Roger Federer (2008 Olympics) and Rafael Nadal (2006 U.S. Open). However, he is prone to spray balls off that wing and as he has gotten older, Blake has struggled to defend his backhand as well as he once did by running around to hit inside-out forehands.
Blake, a former ATP Comeback Player of the Year, has been making yet another charge up the rankings. He started the year ranked no. 123, needing to play qualifying to get into the Australian Open. His ranking is up to 96, with a boost that will come from the second-round (or better) points he gets from Wimbledon.
Blake will have a challenge Thursday against either Sam Querrey or Bernard Tomic to reach the third round for the third time ever and the first time since 2007.
—Staff writer David Freed can be reached davidfreed@college.harvard.edu.
It’s been a big year for the Crimson. Men’s basketball won its first ever NCAA tournament game and a Harvard alum won a Super Bowl. Club sports and concussions stole the limelight. From historic victories to teams in transition, the Back Page brings you the ten most interesting stories of the spring and encourages you to take a break from studying to enjoy the sun and take a look back on this semester in Harvard Athletics.
Leaving it All Out on the Field
As part of a multimedia push at The Crimson, writers Martin Kessler, Maya Jonas-Silver, and Jacob Feldman took a look inside the concussion policies of the Harvard Athletic Department and the NCAA. Complete with stories of athletes who have suffered through the injury and the recovery, this story looks at one of the most pressing and current issues in sports, both at the collegiate and the professional level.
From Harvard to Harbowl
This February, Baltimore Ravens center Matt Birk ’98 won a Super Bowl, ending a successful football career that took a four-year detour in Cambridge. This article, by Scott Sherman, looks back on Birk’s success with the Crimson and in Baltimore over the years.
Juszczyk Becomes First NFL Draft Pick Since Fitzpatrick '05
As Harvard’s most decorated tight end, Kyle Juszczyk was drafted 130th overall in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Scott Sherman chronicles Juszczyk’s reaction to his selection and how he will continue Harvard’s legacy with the Baltimore Ravens.
Harvard Helps Spur the Growth of Ultimate
Did you know that the Red Line—Harvard’s club ultimate team—is nationally ranked? The Crimson’s Tanner Skenendarian breaks down the blood, sweat, and tears that go into winning a game. Find out about how the team is changing the face of ultimate in the United States and competing with professional teams along the way.
Alive in Memory
This season the Harvard baseball team took the field without the face of its program. Last spring, Joe Walsh passed away after 17 seasons with the Crimson and left a legacy of compassion and dedication. In this feature by David Steinbach, former players and the new coach talk about Walsh’s lasting presence that is still felt on the team, even in his absence.
Harvard Men's Basketball Upsets New Mexico, 68-62, To Win First-Ever NCAA Tournament Game
The 14th-seeded Crimson shocked the world when it emerged victorious over favored New Mexico in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. It was the first Tournament win in program history, as well as Harvard’s first win against a AP Top-10 team. The Crimson opened up a four-point lead going into the second half and overcame a close second half behind sharpshooting co-captain Laurent Rivard. Reporting from Salt Lake City, Scott Sherman brings you post-game analysis and reaction from the most decorated team in the history of Harvard basketball.
Football Searches for New Offensive Leader
When Harvard loses record-breaking quarterback Colton Chapple to graduation this spring, the team will be left with a glaring hole in its offense. Without Chapple, David Steinbach chronicles, Murphy will likely turn to rising senior Michael Pruneau and rising junior Connor Hempel to fill the void. Neither player has seen much playing time, and only time will tell who takes over. Crimson coach Tim Murphy talks about his vision for the future.
Doubles Pairs Propel Men's Tennis to Success
The Crimson repeated as Ivy League Champions this season, in large part thanks to its dominant doubles teams. This article, by Justin Wong, takes you inside the pairs of the men’s tennis team and doubles play, including how partnerships are formed and how they succeed depending on one another.
Cricket Squad Aims For National Title
The Harvard basketball team wasn’t the only Crimson squad that headed to a national tournament this spring. Alex Saich writes here about how the cricket club joined the 27 other top teams in the nation in Fort Lauderdale to compete for the Chanderpaul Trophy. Read all about how the club has navigated through its first year of official competition.
AROUND THE IVIES: Upset Potential in Ivy Men's Basketball
It’s hard to pick just one ATI as the most entertaining basketball column of the season, but this one beat out some close competition. Columnist Andrew R. Mooney hates on the Yale Daily News, Brown basketball, Ian Hummer, and so much more. Unfortunately for the Crimson, his prediction about Columbia beating Harvard turned out to be true.
The Harvard men’s tennis team is officially going dancing. On Tuesday evening, the 2013 NCAA Men’s Tournament bracket was finalized, and the Ivy League champion Crimson was selected to face No. 75 Samford in the first round.
No. 21 Harvard (18-5, 6-1 Ivy) will travel to Starkville, Miss. to the campus of Mississippi State University to take on the Bulldogs (15-9, 7-3 Southern Conference) on May 10. The Crimson qualified for the tournament for the second straight season after compiling a 6-1 conference record en route to its second consecutive Ivy title.
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