SAN DIEGO, Calif. — No. 19-ranked Harvard University split its final two games at the 2024 Aztec Invitational hosted by San Diego State University as the Crimson fell to No. 3 Stanford University, 16-7, before handling the host/No. 24 Aztecs via a 16-11 count.
Against Stanford, Harvard jumped in front 1-0 with 6:47 left in the first quarter courtesy a man-up tally by Maya O’Dea, but the Cardinal went on a 7-0 run to acquire a 7-1 lead with 2:11 left in the second quarter. Ella Schneider netted the Crimson’s second goal by converting a man-up opportunity with 44 seconds left in the first half, but Talie Wilmans delivered a response with 16 ticks left on the clock to stake Stanford to an 8-2 margin through 16 minutes of action.
The teams traded goals to start the third quarter as Sophie Wallace zipped in a shot with 7:34 on the clock for the Cardinal prior to Erin Kim putting Harvard back within six at 9-3 at the 6:37 mark.
However, Stanford put any doubts about the outcome to rest as back-to-back-to-back-to-back goals at 6:15, 5:32, 4:05 and 2:48 inflated the Cardinal lead to 13-3 on the way to a 16-7 victory.
For Harvard, Heidi Heffelfinger scored twice with Ella Prentice, Kim, Schneider, O’Dea and Kaity Greenwald chipping in solo tallies. Alexis Kieckhafer made five saves in taking the loss.
Maggie Hawkins (three), Sophia Sanders (two), Christina Hicks (two), Eleanor Facey (two), Quinn Healey (two), Sophie Wallace (two), Skyler Jones, Kamryn Barone and Wilmans combined for Stanford’s offense in support of a combined seven save effort by goalkeepers Mata Avital (six saves) and Christine Carpenter (one save).
In Harvard’s weekend finale, Ruby Hodge scored four times as the Crimson stopped San Diego State.
The Crimson raced out to leads of 2-0 and 4-2 in the first quarter prior to acquiring a 10-5 lead heading into halftime. The teams played even in the second half with both Harvard and San Diego State putting up three goals in the third and fourth quarters for the 16-11 final score.
Prentice (three) and O’Dea (three) joined Hodge in netting hat-tricks, while Emma Gilbert, Annabel Facey and Sasha Constandse tacked on pairs of goals. Kieckhafer made six saves in the win.
Claudia Valdes (three), Kendall Houck (two), Mimi Stoupas (two), Sydney Gish, Rose Kanemy, Hannah Bell and Danni Croteau combined for the Aztecs’ offense. Tiaare Ahovelo made 12 saves in suffering the loss.
