“Playing a tough opponent early on really exposes your weaknesses and shows you what you need to work on,” junior forward Noel Painter said. “We came in with the mentality of trying to upset them and start off the season strong, and though it didn’t work out we saw a lot of stuff in the game film that we can work on moving forward.”

Harvard came out stronger in the second half and immediately received back-to-back shots from Balleza and junior forward Kaitlyn Boudah.

The increased presence of the Crimson’s attack would have no effect in the outcome of the game however, and the Minutewomen put the game away in the 69th minute with a goal from freshman forward Izzie Delario.

Harvard’s offense finished the night with only four shots, and two of those occurred in the final 10 minutes with the game out of reach. Balleza led the Crimson with two shots in her first collegiate action.

Harvard’s defense allowed Massachusetts 20 shots, but Hatfield came up big time after time on her way to nine saves on the night in only the third start of her career.

“Jenn Hatfield really stepped up in the goal,” sophomore back Elizabeth Jacobson said. “She had to face a lot of corners and she made some huge stops.”

—Staff writer M. Ty Aderhold can be reached at michael.aderhold@thecrimson.com.

—Staff writer Jacob W. Lynch can be reached at jacoblync@gmail.com.