LEWISBURG, Pa. — No. 17-ranked Harvard University women’s water polo took down No. 20 Princeton University, 11-9, in a Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) semifinal matchup at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium. The Crimson advances to the CWPA Championship game tomorrow at Noon against either No. 7 the University of Michigan or No. 22 Brown University with the opportunity to clinch a spot in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship tournament.
The Crimson needed to claim a third victory this season over the Tigers to reach the CWPA Championship game, and Brooke Hourigan got Harvard out to a lead less than a minute into the contest.
A few minutes later, with the game tied at two goals apiece, Grace Thawley gave the Crimson a 3-2 lead with a close-range score. Harvard did not relinquish the advantage, with Thawley and Erin Kim scoring quickly after as the Crimson led 5-3 after one quarter of play.
Evan Tingler netted the first two tallies of the second period, securing her first half hat trick and giving the Crimson an early 7-3 lead with 4:41 left in the half. Inde Halligan and Brooke Hourigan each answered a Princeton goal, and the Crimson went into the break with a 9-5 lead.
The pace of play halted in the second half, with the Crimson nursing a multi-goal lead throughout. Erin Kim and Halligan notched back-to-back goals to extend the lead to five goals, before Princeton answered to make it an 11-7 game with 3:37 remaining in the third quarter.
The goals would dry up from this point on, with the Crimson sticking in defensively in front of Zoe Banks in goal, who made eight total saves in the contest. The Tigers were able to score a pair in the final period, but the Harvard lead was insurmountable as Ted Minnis collected his 199th victory with the Crimson women’s team in advancing to the CWPA Championship.
Tingler scored a game-high three goals to go along with two blocks, while Hourigan filled the stat sheet with two goals, two assists, a steal, a block and a drawn kickout.
Halligan, Thawley and Kim each netted a pair of goals.
Goalie Zoe Banks made eight saves in net to secure the victory for the Crimson.
Harvard reached the 23-win mark with a 23-6 mark, the second highest single season win total in program history. The Crimson can match its program-best 24 wins tomorrow against either the Wolverines or Bears.
Further, the Crimson sweep the season series against Princeton, topping the Tigers three times this season following 10-8 (April 2 at Princeton) and 12-11 sudden death overtime (April 9 at Harvard) victories.
Release courtesy Harvard University Athletics Communications
