CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — No. 8-ranked Harvard University finished out the Harvard Invitational with a pair of wins against No. 24 Brown University and No. 16 Wagner College to stretch the Crimson’s win streak to 12 games. Harvard topped Brown, 9-7, in a tightly contested Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) matchup before finishing the day by vanquishing Wagner on Senior Day.
Maya O’Dea and Erin Kim netted fourth-quarter goals to pull away from Brown in a back-and-forth morning matchup at Blodgett Pool. Tied at seven-all heading into the fourth quarter, Orli Cooper made two stops in the final eight minutes of play to hold the Bears at seven, while O’Dea and Kim found the back of the net to lift Harvard to its 11th straight win.
The Crimson went on a five-goal run in the second quarter against Wagner to help cruise to a victory and sweep the season series. Cooper made 21 saves in the afternoon game including a pair of five-meter attempts.
The Crimson has the longest winning streak of any top-10 team in the country with its 12th straight victory.
Ted Minnis sits just one win away from his 250th all-time as head coach of the women’s program.
Facing Brown in a league game to start the day, Lucy Berkman opened the scoring with a lob over the Bears’ netminder to make it 1-0 Harvard after four minutes of scoreless action.
After a Bears’ goal, Dany Zapata picked up her first of the game to make it 2-1 Harvard.
The Crimson led 3-2 after the first quarter of action.
Emma Gilbert doubled the Crimson lead after making a strong move in the slot.
With Brown continuing to attack, Ella Schneider protected the Crimson lead with a shot that went bar down to make it 5-3 Harvard.
The Bears eventually tied the game at six-all with just over four minutes to play in the third quarter before Niki Piovan was left open on the outside for another Crimson tally.
Tied at seven-all in the fourth quarter, O’Dea and Kim both scored to help push the Crimson toward its 11th straight win.
Ruby Hodge finished the game with three helpers, while Gilbert added two goals and one assist.
Piovan had a goal and two helpers.
Cooper was stellar between the pipes, making 15 saves, with five of them coming in the third quarter, as Harvard remains undefeated in CWPA competition this year.
Squaring off with Wagner, Harvard battled back in the first quarter after being down 2-0 and then 3-2 heading into the second frame.
Piovan, Lily Britt and Gilbert all scored in the opening eight minutes of action.
Britt and Gilbert picked up goals to bring the Crimson out of a two-goal deficit early in the game before Piovan tied it at three heading into the break.
Harvard went on a 5-1 run after the first two Wagner goals, with Gilbert and O’Dea scoring in the second quarter to give the Crimson the lead for the first time in the afternoon.
Harvard outscored Wagner by a score of 10-2 in the second and third quarters.
Gilbert finished with six goals and two assists, while Piovan added a goal and three helpers.
Zapata and Kim combined for three goals and two assists to accompany pairs of goals from Hodge and O’Dea both potted a pair of goals.
Information courtesy Harvard University Athletics Communications
