Trailing by one point with under 20 seconds left, No. 21/22 Harvard launched one final attack, desperate to even the score. But as the clock wound down, the Red’s defense tightened, and junior goalkeeper Mackenzie Clark rose to the moment, making a game-saving stop that sent Schoellkopf Field into a frenzy.
The final whistle blew, and in an instant, the Red’s bench emptied. Players stormed the field, arms raised, as a wave of cheers poured from the stands.
It was a fitting end to a game that had everything. For Senior Day, the Red (9-4, 3-2 Ivy) delivered its most emotional and hard-fought performance of the season, stunning Harvard (7-5, 2-3 Ivy) in a thrilling 13-12 upset.
“It was an amazing game, so competitive on every level,” said head coach Jenny Graap ’86. “I’m really proud that our team stuck together and stayed strong through some tough moments. … To come from behind and win that game was fantastic.”
The game was defined by back-and-forth play and constant lead changes. From the opening draw to the final possession, neither team held the lead for more than a few minutes. Harvard jumped ahead 4-1 in the first quarter, but by halftime, the Red fought back to a tie, , 7-7. When it looked like the Red were in control of the game, leading 10-7 to enter the fourth quarter, Harvard scored four unanswered goals in four minutes to reclaim the lead.
The game’s intensity only elevated in its final moments. With five minutes to play, junior midfielder Caitlin Tully sprinted downfield to even the score with an unassisted goal. Then, sophomore midfielder Ellie Bergin found the back of the net to give Cornell a one-point lead with just 39 seconds remaining.
Still, the Red had to weather one final push. After a controversial charge call gave possession back to Harvard in the final minute, the Red found themselves back on defense with the outcome hanging in the balance.
“We took the midfielders off and put extra defenders out there,” Graap said. “[Senior] Annie Parker was important in pressuring the ball, and then Mackenzie Clark making that save at the last second was amazing. A lot happened there, and you can’t worry about the officials’ calls. You have to make sure you’re strong in the next moment. This Cornell team just stayed confident and strong right to the last whistle.”
Graap’s adjustments, along with the Red’s lockdown defensive unit, would solidify victory for the Red, ensuring nothing came of the final Harvard push. The win lifts the Red to fourth in the Ivy League Conference and puts the team in prime contention for an Ivy League Tournament qualification.
“Those two games remaining are huge for us,” Graap said. “But our win over Brown and this win over Harvard put us in a strong position to at least earn a spot in the top four in the Ivy Tournament, which we’ve been left out of in the last few years.”
The Red will now shift focus towards a road matchup against No. 13/16 Penn (6-5, 2-2 Ivy) at 3:30 p.m. on April 19. A win for Cornell against the Quakers could potentially secure Ivy League Tournament qualification. The game can be streamed live on ESPN+.
