Box Score CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 6 Rutgers field hockey was edged in its NCAA Tournament First Round matchup with No. 9 Harvard, falling 2-1. Marique Diuedonne had the goal for the Scarlet Knights, assisted by Lucy Bannatyne. Puck Winter and Olivia Beattie each had defensive saves.

The Scarlet Knights finish a strong 2023 campaign with a 16-4 overall record. Harvard, ranked No. 9 in the nation, improved to 16-3 with the win. The Scarlet Knights had the offensive advantage in the game, outshooting Harvard 16-6.

"I'm proud of the team's effort and the fight they showed," head coach Meredith Civico said. "We're disappointed in the result, but this group definitely had a great season. We had great consistency all season.These players want to compete for championships, and we proved that abilitiy to ourselves and everyone this year. We want to celebrate this group of seniors and veteran players who did so much for this program."

The game was tightly contested in the first quarter, with just one shot aside, and that did not come until a RU attempt in the 14^th minute of the game. After one quarter, the score was even at 0-0.

In the second corner, the Crimson earned the game's first corner in the first minutes of the second quarter. A shot from the top of the circle found its way through, and the Crimson claimed an early 1-0 lead, which Harvard held into halftime.

In the third quarter, the Scarlet Knights earned a series of corners, but were unable to convert. Harvard came back with some pressure, but Sophia Howard stood tall with two saves. Then Puck Winter had a defensive save, her 12^th of the season, tying the nation's lead.

The Scarlet Knights continued to push for an equalizer. After the third quarter, the Scarlet Knights had an 11-4 advantage in shots, but still trailed. The Crimson added a goal with 6:57 left in the fourth quarter as an insurance tally.

Rutgers scored a goal with just under four minutes left in the fourth quarter. Lucy Bannatyne sent a great pass into the circle, and Marique Dieudonne hammered it home for the goal. With the goalkeeper pulled for an extra attacker, RU continued to fight. The Scarlet Knights successfully defended a corner without the goalkeeper pulled, as Olivia Beattie came up big with a save.

RU had a last corner with just over a minute left, but it was saved and Harvard persevered.

Rutgers finishes the season with 16 wins, the second most in program history. RU made its third NCAA Tournament appearance in the last six years and second in the last three years.