The Harvard women's lacrosse team will make its earliest start in program history when the 2009 campaign gets underway the third week in February. Head coach Lisa Miller and her staff have put together a challenging schedule that features five NCAA qualifying teams, including NCAA finalist Penn. The Crimson will play seven of their 16 game at home. With the final four home contests slated to be played in Harvard Stadium.

Harvard opens its season on the road in nearby Worcester against Holy Cross (Feb. 21). The Crimson opened its 2007 campaign against the Crusaders with a 19-2 victory on Jordan Field. It will be the fifth meeting between the two Massachusetts programs. The early start marks just the third time the Crimson will begin its season in the month of February.

The Crimson will play its next three games at Jordan field. Another Bay State school dots the schedule with Massachusetts coming to town Feb. 28 for a 1:00 p.m. start. Harvard will look to break open the 15-15 series tie with the Minutewomen. Harvard won last year's contest, 20-11. Quinnipiac, another team the Crimson defeated last year, visit the Crimson March 7 at 4:00 p.m. Harvard will close out the home stand against NCAA qualifier New Hampshire March 11 at 4:00 p.m. A loss to the Wildcats was the only blemish for the Crimson as it equaled its best start since 1994, going 7-1 to start 2008.

Harvard starts a four-game road stretch at Brown (March 14), which also marks the Ivy League opener for both schools. The Crimson has won four-straight over the Bears including a 14-13 thriller at Jordan Field last spring. The Crimson travels to Connecticut (March 18), NCAA qualifier Boston University (March 21) and Albany (March 25) to reach the midpoint in the season.

Harvard will dive into Ivy League action at the end of March with games against Yale (March 28) and Penn (April 4) during a three-game home stand. The Crimson will host archrival Yale in Harvard Stadium at 1:00 p.m. Harvard faces Penn a week later in a rematch of a very tight game. The Quakers, who fell in the national title game to Northwestern, edged the Crimson, 14-11, in Philadelphia. It won't be an easy weekend or the Crimson as NCAA qualifier Virginia (April 5) comes to Cambridge the following day.

The Crimson will play its third NCAA qualifying team in a row when it heads to New Jersey for a conference game against league power Princeton (April 11). Harvard will stay on the road to face Dartmouth (April 15) before returning to Harvard Stadium for its final home game of the season against Columbia (April 18) at 1:00 p.m. The game will mark the final home game for the seniors and is also the first game of a doubleheader with the men.

A trip to Ithaca, N.Y., on April 25 will wrap up the Ancient Eight slate for the Crimson, who closes out the season at crosstown rival Boston College (April 30). The Crimson and Eagles will play at BC's new stadium at the Newton campus.

Date          Opponent            Location                  Time (ET)
 
Sat, Feb 21   Holy Cross          at Worcester, Mass.       1:00 p.m.
Sat, Feb 28   Massachusetts       Jordan Field                TBA
 
Sat, Mar 07   Quinnipiac          Jordan Field              4:00 p.m.
Wed, Mar 11   New Hampshire       Jordan Field              4:00 p.m.
Sat, Mar 14   Brown *             at Providence, R.I.       1:00 p.m.
Wed, Mar 18   Connecticut         at Storrs, Conn.          4:00 p.m.
Sat, Mar 21   Boston University   at Boston, Mass.          1:00 p.m.
Wed, Mar 25   Albany              at Albany, N.Y.           1:00 p.m.
Sat, Mar 28   Yale *              Harvard Stadium           1:00 p.m.
 
Sat, Apr 04   Penn *              Harvard Stadium          12:00 p.m.
Sun, Apr 05   Virginia            Harvard Stadium           1:00 p.m.
Sat, Apr 11   Princeton *         at Princeton, N.J.       12:00 p.m.
Wed, Apr 15   Dartmouth *         at Hanover, N.H.          4:00 p.m.
Sat, Apr 18   Columbia *          Harvard Stadium           1:00 p.m.
Sat, Apr 25   Cornell *           at Ithaca, N.Y.           1:00 p.m.
Thu, Apr 30   Boston College      at Chestnut Hill, Mass.     TBA

* Conference event

2008-12-08