Women’s Hockey: BU Falls Short In Beanpot Title Bid Against Crimson
Featured Image by Jenny Chen
By Claire Smieszny
In front of an audience of 10,175, Boston University Women’s Ice Hockey (7-13-3, 5-7-2 HEA) fell to the Harvard Crimson (11-10-1, 5-8-1 ECAC) in a heartbreaker 2-1 overtime loss.
“I wish we didn’t put ourselves in that situation, considering that we had a lot of control of the game,” BU Head Coach Tara Watchorn said. “I think we could have pulled away sooner.”
Harvard opened the scoring just over a minute and a half into play, as a pass into the crease deflected off sophomore defender Ella Belfry’s skate and junior goaltender Mari Pietersen lost sight of the puck. Crimson forward Gwyn Lapp pounced on the loose puck and tapped it under Pietersen’s pads.
The Terriers tried to mount a response but managed only a few chances, with Harvard disrupting most of BU’s zone entries and applying an aggressive forecheck that limited the quality of looks on net.
BU got its first chance to equalize on the power play 8:47 into the period. The Terriers capitalized on the advantage with 20 seconds remaining, as junior forward Greta Henderson tipped in senior defender Maeve Kelly’s shot from the point to make it 1-1.
The rest of the opening frame featured plenty of special teams time, with both Harvard and BU taking two minor penalties apiece, but the score remained 1-1 heading into the first intermission.
Both teams came into the second period hungry to find the net, but the Terriers grabbed the edge in puck possession and shot generation. Harvard sophomore goaltender Ainsley Tuffy, entering the night with a .952 save percentage, held firm to keep the Crimson level.
Despite remaining a scoreless period, BU controlled much of the play and continued to drive the offense. Harvard took four penalties in the frame, but the Terriers’ top units were repeatedly sent over the boards and may have lost some jump as they tried to convert on the man advantage.
“I thought we generated some good looks, and we know we’re going against a good goalie that’s tough to score on,” Watchorn said. “I think managing just how we felt about it and the shifts in between the power plays, I would like to see a bit better.”
The Terriers came out full throttle in the third, using an aggressive forecheck and sustained pressure to continue tilting the ice toward Harvard’s end, even as the go-ahead goal remained elusive. BU kept building its edge in shots and offensive-zone time but could not break the deadlock.
With neither side able to find a winner in regulation, the game headed to overtime still tied 1-1. After BU settled briefly in the offensive zone, a rebound broke the other way and shifted control to Harvard.
First-year forward Carla McSweeney corralled the puck and raced the length of the ice with BU sophomore defender Keira Healey in pursuit. A late poke from Healey resulted in a tripping penalty, and McSweeney was awarded a penalty shot, which she converted by sliding the puck past Pietersen’s left pad for the deciding goal.
“[I’m] grateful and proud of the group for, once again, earning the opportunity to play in the game that we want to play in, and play at the Garden and play in such an amazing event,” Watchorn said. “It’s better to be in this situation, unfortunately, and not getting the outcome you want than being in the other game. So right now, we’ll take that.”
The Terriers are back in action Friday night against the Vermont Catamounts at Walter Brown Arena. Puck drop is set for 6 p.m., with streaming available on ESPN+.