Crimson Even Ivy Record in N.H.

Entering Saturday afternoon’s game against Dartmouth, senior midfielder Aline Brown had two career goals to her record. Brown doubled that total in one half of play at Scully-Fahey Field in Hanover, N.H., helping Harvard to a 2-0 victory and evening the league record of the once-moribund Crimson at 3-3.

Brown, who came into her senior season with no goals in 13 games played over the previous two years, provided the infusion of offense that Harvard (3-13, 3-3 Ivy) had lacked all season. The Crimson scored just seven goals in starting the year with 10 straight losses, and totaled just 12 in its 15 games before Saturday, having been shut out six times. Another such lockout was officially prevented, however, when Brown notched her first score against Big Green (3-12, 1-5) at 16:30 of the first half.

Brown’s initial goal was set up by junior back Devon Shapiro, who fired a shot on Dartmouth goalie Jordan Sedlacek off a corner pass.

Shapiro’s blast was knocked away before it could reach the net, but the ball found the stick of Brown, who fired it high and hard past Sedlacek. Ten minutes later, Brown executed an even more impressive tally.

Senior back Audrey Ziomek carried the ball down the left side past several Dartmouth defenders, and then passed it to the top of the circle.

Brown was able to collect the connection on the right side of the goalmouth, and, after eluding several more Big Green backs, slam home another shot to make it 2-0.

“It’s just an amazing feeling to score a goal, so having two of them in one game is very exciting,” Brown said. “I will look back and see that as a very fun and exciting moment of my senior season.”

“She’s done a lot for us this year, and while it didn’t entirely show on the scoreboard the first part of our season, she really came out for us and did what needed to be done,” freshman forward Annie Ardery added. “[Brown] stepped up as a senior­—[it was] a really powerful ending for her four year career.”

Brown’s big day came in the midst of biting cold and rain in Hanover. The wet, nasty conditions, however, helped steel the resolve of Harvard, which was fighting to win its first road game of the season and its first in regulation time, as both of the Crimson’s previous two victories came in overtime at Jordan Field.

“It was freezing cold and rainy and wet, so we decided before the game we weren’t going to let luck determine who was going to win,” Brown said. “We weren’t going to let the elements decide the outcome.”

Instead of allowing the weather to dictate play, Brown forced the issue, and got plenty of help from the Crimson defense to make her tallies stand up. The second half turned into the defensive struggle Harvard had grown used to losing throughout the season, although this time the Crimson was in the unusual position of operating from in front, and the scoring stalemate played right into the Crimson’s hands.

Harvard’s defenders did an excellent job of nursing the lead, as the Dartmouth attack was shut down to the tune of 10 shots overall, just three of which came upon goal. Sophomore netminder Kelly Knoche turned away each of those three, earning her second shutout of the season.

After dropping those first 10 games of the year and first two in the league, Harvard has won three of its last four Ivy contests, putting itself in position to finish the season with a 4-3 league record if it can beat Columbia next Saturday on Senior Day at Jordan Field.

“It’s definitely a huge game for us,” Ardery said. “There’s a lot on the line in terms of our program and our potential and all the work we’ve done so far.”

Game time for the season finale is set for 12 o’clock noon.

—Staff writer Caleb W. Peiffer can be reached at cpeiffer@fas.harvard.edu.