Women's Water Polo Drops Heartbreaker in CWPA Championship To Harvard, 8-7

Sunday, April 12

Ann Arbor, Mich.

12:30 PM

Princeton University

No. 1 Seed Harvard

Princeton Women's Water Polo

Photo by: Camren Clouthier

Women's Water Polo Drops Heartbreaker in CWPA Championship To Harvard, 8-7

April 12, 2026 | Women's Water Polo

Ann Arbor – The No. 13 Princeton Women's Water Polo Team fell in the fourth sudden death overtime to the No. 10 Harvard Crimson, 8-7, in the CWPA Championship Game.

Harvard's Ella Schneider scored the game-winner at 1:50 mark in a game that is now widely considered one of the all-time great contests in CWPA history.

The Crimson began the scoring with a goal before the Tigers ripped off three straight and led 3-1 after eight minutes. This time it was Harvard to go on a run, scoring three times to jump ahead, 4-3, with 4:14 to go in the first half.

Tallies by Ally Lurie and Didi Evans gave Princeton a 5-4 advantage at halftime.

Princeton 4, Harvard 4 | 2:00 2nd

Needed this from Didi! We are tied! pic.twitter.com/IPyaWxvE53
— Princeton Water Polo (@Pwaterpolo) April 12, 2026

Princeton 5, Harvard 4 | 1:00 2nd

Ally puts us back in front! pic.twitter.com/khV2boGCkh
— Princeton Water Polo (@Pwaterpolo) April 12, 2026

Harvard registered two goals in the third stanza to take the lead before Olivia Krotts tied the game with 7:05 left in regulation. After a tally from Harvard, Didi Evans tied the game with under three minutes to go.

Princeton 7, Harvard 7 | 1:37 4th

DIDI TIES IT! pic.twitter.com/DWx8R8qBLu
— Princeton Water Polo (@Pwaterpolo) April 12, 2026

The Crimson had the final possession of the fourth quarter, but the Tigers came up with a big field block to send the game into overtime.

Princeton 7, Harvard 7 | End of 4th

Big stop on the final possession sends us to overtime! pic.twitter.com/dblH7YsC5y
— Princeton Water Polo (@Pwaterpolo) April 12, 2026

Harvard also had the final shot at the end of the second portion of overtime, but Lindsey Lucas stood tall.

Princeton 7, Harvard 7 | OT

Lindsey says no!!! We're onto sudden death overtime! pic.twitter.com/UDWSg9eNky
— Princeton Water Polo (@Pwaterpolo) April 12, 2026

Lucas once against kept the game alive in the second sudden death overtime on this stop …

Princeton 7, Harvard 7 | OT

Lindsey says let's keep playing! pic.twitter.com/u8Yu1fALle
— Princeton Water Polo (@Pwaterpolo) April 12, 2026

In the fourth sudden death session, the Tigers had a shot that just missed going over the goal line before Harvard ended the game on the next possession.

Evans and Lurie each had two goals to lead the Tigers while Lucas made 12 saves as well.

With the loss, the careers of Shanna Davidson, Ava Houlahan and Lucas conclude with 97 victories, four trips to the CWPA Championship and two conference crowns.