Crimson Seeks To Land Ivy Title

The Harvard men’s soccer team holds destiny in the palm of its hand.

The Crimson heads to Penn this Saturday for the final game of its regular season, taking with it hopes for an Ivy League championship. The matchup, which may be the most pressure-filled contest of the year, will determine whether Harvard or the Quakers end the season with an Ivy League title to their name.

“We expect that the winner of [the Penn] game will win the Ivy championship,” senior co-captain Luke Sager said. “We probably have the two best offenses in the league squaring off—it’s going to be a battle.”

With both teams entering the game recording only one previous league loss, the battle under the lights of Penn’s Rhodes Field will be epic.

The Crimson holds a slight offensive advantage over the Quakers, surpassing both the opposing team and the rest of the league in both total goals scored (34) and goals per game (2.27). The margin between the two teams is close, however, with Penn registering a close second place standing (31 goals scored and 1.94 per game).

“It’s going to be an intense and hard fought game—probably the most intense game we’ll play all year,” said senior co-captain and Harvard’s main offensive weapon Michael Fucito. “If we are able to execute and play how we normally play, then we’re going to give [Penn] a lot of trouble.”

Harvard and its adversary are also on top in the Ivy League defensively, with the Quakers claiming a slim lead in this realm. Penn is ranked first in Ivy standings in both shutouts (10) and least goals allowed, with only 11 for the season. The Crimson places fourth in both of these categories, registering a total of six shutouts and 15 goals against.

“We are expecting a very good Penn team,” Fucito said. “We’re going to have to play our best game of the season, everything from defending to finishing.”

In addition to the clear difficulties a strong Quaker team will present the Harvard men, the pressure of the matchup could also intensify the upcoming contest. With the stakes high and an entire season of work dependent on the outcome of a single game, there is no room for error.

However, according to Sager, one of the Crimson’s key defensive players, his team has what it takes to deal with the extra demands.

“It’s going to be added pressure for both teams,” Sager said. “We’ve been on both sides of the coin, and we know what it takes to win big games.”

Harvard will have its ability tested under such heightened conditions. However, the Crimson enters the contest with another advantage over Penn: momentum.

While the Quakers clashed with the Princeton Tigers last weekend, registering an unsatisfying double overtime 0-0 tie, Harvard easily surpassed its formidable Columbia opponents, dazzling the Lions in a 6-1 win.

“We have some momentum going into this game from last weekend,” Fucito said. “We realize the opportunity we have.”

The Crimson also added another name to the record books during the Columbia game, as junior offensive standout Andre Akpan broke the Harvard records for both career points and assists in Saturday’s contest. Akpan surpassed the previous standard set by Chris Ohiri ’64, who lends his name to the Crimson’s home field. With more than a year remaining in his time on the team, Akpan is also sure to further raise the bar for future Harvard soccer prodigies.

“[Andre]’s going to shatter the record,” Fucito said. “It just shows that he’s worked hard and he’s done a lot of things well. There’s big things to come from him.”

Sager echoed Fucito’s praises, noting the magnitude of Akpan’s achievement.

“For Andre to break [the record] in three years is very impressive,” Sager said. “That’s obviously a huge honor and it’s an unbelievable accomplishment for him.”

However, Akpan himself was more concerned with the upcoming contest than his own successes.

“It’s an honor to break that record,” Akpan said after Saturday’s matchup. “But winning the Ivies is more important to me.”

The Crimson looks to follow through on its aims this coming weekend, returning to Cambridge with the Ivy League trophy.

—Staff writer Alexandra J. Mihalek can be reached at amihalek@fas.harvard.edu.