Early Scores Just Enough for League-Best Crimson

After having its lead cut to a lone goal in the final moments of its game Saturday, the Harvard women’s soccer team found itself forced to fend off an eager Princeton team looking for the equalizer. Withstanding the offensive onslaught, the Crimson dominated possession over the final two minutes to capture the 2-1 win.

“When you face Princeton, you know you’re going to do a lot of chasing and defending,” Harvard coach Ray Leone said. “They kick the ball so well. It was an exhausting game, and Princeton played really well and really stressed our defense incredibly well, and I’m glad we absorbed that.”

Harvard (10-4-1, 4-0-1 Ivy) hosted the Tigers (5-9-1, 1-4-0) under the lights at Soldiers Field Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium on Saturday evening. The Crimson entered the match looking to extend its slim lead over the University of Pennsylvania (12-2-0, 4-1-0) in the Ivy League standings.

Harvard and Princeton opened the match with a long stretch of back-and-forth play, as each team looked for scoring chances.

The first shot opportunity came on a through ball to co-captain Melanie Baskind with 30 minutes to go in the first half, when she fired just wide of the left post from six yards out.

Just minutes later, the Tigers almost found the net off of a bending corner kick. Hooking into the box, the ball came loose, and a scramble ensued. Before any Princeton strikers could get a foot on the ball, Harvard goalkeeper Bethany Kanten secured the ball as she left her line.

The Tigers maintained pressure with a second corner kick moments later, but Kanten thwarted a header with a diving save, keeping the game scoreless with 20 minutes to go in the half.

The Crimson provided a successful response off of a throw-in with 17 minutes remaining in the half. After several attempted clears by the Tiger defense, Harvard freshman Mai Le chested the ball and volleyed a blistering lefty shot just inches inside the right post to give the Crimson a 1-0 lead.

Knowing the danger of Princeton’s relentless offense, the Crimson looked to maintain its composure following the goal.

“We had to get our focus back, concentrate on keeping up our intensity, and keep playing the game,” Le said.

Harvard did just that, as it found itself with another scoring chance with 12 minutes to go in the half. On a through ball out of the midfield, Baskind outran the Princeton defense and sent a shot just outside the frame.

Just prior to the halftime break, the Crimson faced a scare, as the Tigers received a direct kick just outside the 18-yard box. The penalty chance amounted to nothing, as the Harvard defense cleared the shot before it even approached the goal.

The Crimson addressed both its offensive and defensive needs at the half.

“We talked about converting on the chances we were getting on the flanks ... and making dangerous runs in the box,” Baskind said. “Our defense was playing well, and we just needed to keep winning balls out of the air.”

After the second half rolled around, the Tigers began to dominate possession.

Within the first three minutes, Princeton found itself with multiple scoring chances. A minute into the half, the Tigers sent a cross in front of the goal about eight yards out, which the Harvard defense managed to clear.

Moments later, off of a cross from the right flank, Princeton midfielder Melissa Downey put her foot on an open volley in front of the net, but the shot skipped just over the crossbar. After making several more runs, Downey again put pressure on the Harvard defense with a shot that sailed wide with 35 minutes to go in the half.

The Tiger barrage continued throughout the half. On a dangerous Princeton attack, Kanten came through for the home team, sending a header from striker Jen Hoy over the bar with 33 minutes remaining in the game. Harvard needed to look for ways to slow the Tiger offense.

“We needed to step up our pressure,” Le said. “We needed to try to put them under a bit more.”

With 30:47 to go in the half, Harvard did just that. On a long ball from the defense, Crimson rookie Meg Casscells-Hamby beat her defender and laid the ball across to Baskind from the left for an easy finish, giving Harvard a 2-0 lead.

“What a great choice from Meg,” Leone said. “Someone was in a better position, she delivered the ball perfectly, and it was a great finish.”

Leone wasn’t the only one who appreciated Casscells-Hamby’s assist.

“The cross was textbook—I didn’t have to do anything. If I could switch it in the book, I would,” Baskind said. “That’s her goal.”

Princeton’s pressure continued for the duration of the game, picking up in the last two minutes following a point-blank goal from Hoy assisted by defender Gabrielle Ragazzo.

With only one goal separating the teams, Princeton ramped up its already aggressive play.

“At that point, we were just focused on how we were going to close out the game,” Baskind said.

But Harvard ultimately managed to withstand the Tigers’ final push in the longest two minutes of the game.

The final horn couldn’t have come any sooner for Leone.

“Bend, don’t break, and that’s basically what we did,” Leone said. “We bent like crazy, but we didn’t break ... We just held on.”