Women’s Soccer Eliminated from Ivy Contention

Last year, the Harvard women’s soccer team beat Dartmouth, 2-1. With the win, the squad clinched the Ivy League title.

Things went a little differently this time.

Despite a late push, the Crimson (7-7-1, 3-3 Ivy) couldn’t catch the Big Green (6-7-2, 3-2-1) Saturday at Dartmouth, falling, 3-2. With the loss, Harvard fell out of contention for its third straight league crown.

“It’s a tough loss,” Crimson coach Ray Leone said. “We did some great things, and so did Dartmouth, and I have to give them credit that they put in three and we put two. It’s as simple as that.”

In the 33rd matchup between the two squads, the Big Green took control early, finding the back of the net within the first 10 minutes.

Harvard responded quickly. Just over three minutes later, sophomore Alexandra Conigliaro found co-captain Katherine Sheeleigh, who maneuvered around the Dartmouth goalie to tie the score at one apiece.

“She didn’t get a lot of looks, but obviously the one she got was a great finish,” Leone said of the goal.

20 minutes after Sheeleigh evened the score, Big Green senior Melisa Krnjaic hit the ball over Crimson goalie AJ Millet and into the goal to put the home team back on top. Shortly after the new half began, Krnjaic struck again, giving Dartmouth a two-goal advantage.

“To be down two made it difficult,” Leone said. “But it wasn’t insurmountable...[and] the team would not go easily into the night.”

“The second half, obviously our back’s against the wall,” sophomore Aisha Price added. “And so we knew that we had to pull up, play hard, and see what could happen.”

With a little more than 11 minutes to play, the effort paid off, as Price headed a Conigliaro corner kick past the Big Green goalie to cut the deficit in half.

In the remaining time, Harvard threatened and pushed hard for the equalizer, with Sheeleigh even firing a shot as time expired. But the Crimson came up short.

“We weren’t giving up hope,” Price said. “We just kept on fighting, kept on trying to get a goal off, trying to get good plays off. We literally fought until the last second.”

After taking 31 shots in its last match against Quinnipiac, Harvard continued its strong offensive play. Despite only scoring twice, the Crimson outshot Dartmouth, 8-7, and had 12 corner kicks compared to the Big Green’s one.

“We moved the ball at times and played incredible attacking soccer at times...against a really great defensive team,” Leone said. “[And] to get [12] corner kicks in a game is amazing.”

Instrumental to both goals was Conigliaro, who had two assists in the contest. She brought her season points total to 12, good for third place on the team.

“[Conigliaro] plays with so much fire and so much desire,” Price said “She’s...really playing well [and] really doing awesome things for our team.”

Sheeleigh also had a strong showing in what was her final regular-season away game. Her goal marked the 30th in her career and her eighth this season. She is fifth in program history for goals scored and leads the team this season in goals and points.

“Sheeleigh’s always going to bring every ounce of energy she has the whole game, and she did it again tonight,” Leone said.

The co-captain leads a group of seniors that helped bring two straight league crowns to Cambridge but failed in its third and final attempt.

“I’m really proud of the level that this team has brought for four straight years,” Leone said. “This senior class—amazing.”

Despite the team’s loss, both the players and the coach were satisfied with the effort.

“We laid everything we could out on the field, so that was the best we could expect, and we were happy with our end performance,” Price said.

“When you don’t give your all or try as hard as you possibly can, it’s just a horrible feeling,” Leone added. “They’re not feeling like that tonight. They let it all hang out.”