PRINCETON, N.J. — The No. 22-ranked Harvard University women’s water polo completed a 4-0 showing at the Princeton University Invitational, taking down No. 17 Long Island University, 9-8, before posting a 21-5 victory over the Virginia Military Institute (VMI). The Crimson improves to 9-1 on the season and extends its winning streak to seven games.
In the day’s opener for Harvard versus Long Island, Zoe Banks drew the start in net against the Sharks. The Crimson got off to a dream start and held a 3-0 lead just over three minutes into play. The class of 2024 trio featuring Evan Tingler, Grace Thawley and Jaiden Miller got Harvard out to the lead. Miller added another to give the Crimson a 4-2 lead after one quarter.
The second frame saw both teams struggle offensively, with Harvard’s lone goal coming from Erin Kim as Banks made seven first-half saves in route to a 5-3 halftime lead.
Harvard extended its lead to four in the third quarter, with early goals coming from Borden Wahl and Brooke Hourigan. LIU began to string together more offensive chances, but Banks stood her ground and made six saves in the third quarter alone to limit LIU to another one-goal frame. A Dany Zapata goal made it 8-4 headed into the fourth quarter.
The Sharks were able to deposit four goals over the final eight minutes, but Thawley tally right in between those four proved to be the difference, as Harvard held on to come away with a 9-8 victory.
Overall, Banks made 14 saves in net while adding an assist to claim the win.
Miller and Thawley each netted pairs of goals while Tingler and Hourigan posted a goal, two assists and a steal.
Taking on VMI, the Crimson enjoyed its best offensive period of the season in the first quarter against the Keydets by netting eight goals from seven different scorers.
The scoring began with Ella Prentice and ended with Thawley, while Kaity Greenwald accounted for the lone two-goal effort in the quarter. Thawley tacked on her second before the half, while Quinne Pursell and Hourigan both netted two in the second frame to give Harvard a 14-4 lead at the half.
Anne-Charlotte Gillard drew the start in net, allowing only one second half goal behind 10 total saves for the first-year. Thawley found her hat-trick in the third period, while Wahl and Prentice both scored twice in the second half to increase the Harvard advantage. The Crimson went on to post a season-high 21 goals and take down VMI, 21-5, to close out its 4-0 weekend in Princeton.
Prentice totaled three goals, four assists and two steals to lead the Crimson. Thawley posted three goals, two assists and a steal in the victory with Wahl netting three goals to go along with three assists. Greenwald scored a hat-trick, while Kim added three steals and a goal.
Gillard posted 10 saves on 15 shots faced.
Release courtesy Harvard University Athletics Communications
