PRINCETON, N.J. — The No. 22-ranked Harvard women’s water polo won its first games at the Princeton University Invitational by topping Villanova University, 15-7, before a 20-2 victory over St. Francis College Brooklyn. The Crimson improves to 7-1 on the season and extends its winning streak to five games.
In the day’s opener, the Crimson matched up with Villanova for a third time this season, with this third matchup coming at a neutral site, after the first two meetings were held at Villanova and claimed by Harvard via 20-11 and 16-4 final scores.
Harvard continued its stellar play against the Wildcats, getting out to a 3-1 lead after the first quarter behind two goals from Dany Zapata and a score from Quinne Pursell. The Crimson broke the game open in the second frame, with Brooke Hourigan netting a hat-trick within the period, to give Harvard a 9-2 lead at the half.
Borden Wahl got the second half started by adding a pair of goals to her ledger, followed by tallies from Zapata and Pursell to extend the lead. Harvard held the Wildcats to just one goal for the third straight quarter and led 15-3 after three, with the final goals coming from Jaiden Miller and Grace Thawley.
Villanova managed to punch in four goals in the final frame as Harvard claimed a 15-7 win at DeNunzio Pool.
For the Crimson, Pursell scored three goals while adding a steal. Zapata and Hourigan also totaled three goals in the victory. Miller netted two goals while contributing two steals and a block, while Ella Prentice tallied five drawn kickouts.
Goalie Alexis Kieckhafer collected seven saves in net while adding a steal and assist.
Facing St. Francis Brooklyn, Harvard wasted no time getting on the scoresheet against the Terriers, posting goals within the first minute from Hourigan and Wahl. Hourigan added another, while Zapata found the back of the net, and Harvard held a 4-2 lead with two minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Zoe Banks, making her fourth start in goal this season, shutout the Terriers for the remaining 26 minutes of play while making 11 total saves.
Hourigan added her third goal before the half to accompany pairs of strikes by Zapata and Inde Halligan as Harvard held an 11-2 lead through 16 minutes.
Evan Tingler scored her first goal of the game to begin the Harvard scoring in the second half before Hourigan chipped in two more in the third quarter to help the Crimson carry 15-2 advantage into the final frame.
Hourigan completed her career-day with a sixth goal to begin the fourth quarter, and Harvard added late goals from Thawley, Miller, Pursell and Erin Kim to reach the 20-goal mark and complete a 2-0 day.
Halligan totaled three goals, four steals, two blocks and an assist in the win with Hourigan netting a career-high six goals to go along with two steals.
Miller filled the stat sheet with a goal, three assists and two steals, while Kim dished out three assists and racked up a goal.
The victory over St. Francis Brooklyn marks the first time the Crimson allowed two goals or less since a 10-2 victory over George Washington University on April 29, 2018,
Release courtesy Harvard University Athletics Communications
