Nathan Cobery’s late game-winner lifts the Crimson to its first victory over a No. 1-ranked opponent in program history.
With just 50 seconds on the clock, Harvard attackman Nathan Cobery beat a diving Jimmy McCool on the doorstep off a feed from John Aurandt IV, cueing Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” for the 13th time of the afternoon.
“It was definitely a blur,” said Cobery about the moment, “After scoring that, I had a lot of confidence in our defense to hold it down, and that’s exactly what they did.”
Moments later, goaltender Graham Stevens robbed Syracuse captain and Tewaaraton Award-favorite Joey Spallina of the equalizer, sealing the Crimson’s 13-12 victory.
As the final buzzer sounded, the energetic Harvard bench stormed towards Stevens, nearly toppling the goal in the process.
The Crimson had just defeated a top-ranked opponent for the first time in the program’s 148-year history—and earned revenge against the team that eliminated them from last year’s playoffs.
“On one hand, it is something that you dream about when you’re playing in the backyard,” said Cobery about the milestone, “But at the same time, it is just another game and a step for us to our bigger goals.”
The dramatic final minute capped a back-and-forth thriller that featured six lead changes and seven ties, with neither team building more than a three-goal advantage.
The Orange entered the contest at the top of the polls after upsetting previously top-ranked Maryland, while the Crimson prepared for their first test against a ranked opponent.
After conceding the opening goal, Syracuse responded with four straight conversions to take an early 4-1 lead, two coming from Preseason All-ACC midfielder Luke Rhoa.
Just as the Orange seemed to find a rhythm, Aurandt buried two unassisted goals, triggering a five-goal run that gave Harvard a 6-4 advantage at halftime.
As the Crimson began to rally, the crowd’s “overrated” chants intensified, becoming impossible to ignore once Harvard retook control.
However, Syracuse spoiled any potential momentum Harvard had coming out of the break, jumping to a 7-6 edge just four minutes into the third quarter. Then, in the same frame, the Crimson fought back to a 10-8 cushion behind efforts by Cobery and Teddy Malone.
That lead quickly evaporated, as the Orange scored four unanswered to go up 12-10 in the fourth quarter. With their opponent threatening to pull away, Harvard’s offense surged one last time, culminating in Cobery’s decisive strike in the final minute.
The victory was a team effort from start to finish, with standout performances on both sides of the ball defining the outcome.
Cobery and Aurandt led the Crimson’s offense, each recording a hat trick in addition to facilitating the match-winning play.
On the other end, Stevens made a season-high 14 saves, helping Harvard’s defense hold Michael Leo and Joey Spallina—both USA Lacrosse Preseason First-Team All-Americans—to fewer than three goals apiece for the first time this season.
Notably, this was not the first time Harvard and Syracuse have battled to a one-goal finish.
The teams faced off twice last season, splitting single-score victories, with the latter ending Harvard’s season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
According to Syracuse head coach Gary Gait, this matchup—much like the previous ones—ultimately came down to the smallest details.
“Ground balls, loose balls and second chances really made the difference,” said Gait after the loss.
While revenge could have defined the upset, the Crimson were more focused on beating the team in front of them.
“I think that played a smaller role than people would think,” said Cobery about the rematch, “Sure, that game was in the back of our minds, but we are a new team in a new season.”
Beyond the field, the teams also share personal ties. Gait previously coached Harvard’s Jared Maznik and Wyatt Wiggins on Canada’s gold medal-winning U-20 national team.
What comes next in the budding rivalry remains to be seen. It’s possible that the two sides could meet again in May in another win-or-go-home playoff scenario.
For now, the undefeated Crimson turn their attention to a three-game road stretch, beginning with Marquette on Saturday, Feb. 28.
If anything is certain, it’s that Malone says the team feels confident after the statement win.
“We don’t want to change anything—we’re just looking to carry on this momentum to the next three games,” said Malone.