ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Hagner Sparks Offensive Attack in Win

The Harvard women’s soccer season was hanging in the balance this past weekend against Columbia. Win and the Crimson would earn a league championship and a berth into the NCAA tournament. Lose and the team’s year could be over. Given the stakes, Harvard needed one of its players to step up.

The squad got just that, as junior Christina Hagner carried the Crimson to the Ivy League title and an automatic berth into the NCAA Championships.

In an all-or-nothing game, Hagner controlled the offensive attack from her forward position. She created opportunities for her teammates with precise balls and opened up lanes for herself with sharp turns around aggressive Columbia defenders.

“I think that all our forwards have really improved in the last stretch here,” co-captain Nikki Rhodes said. “[Christina’s] come up huge in some key moments. I think it was just a matter of time.”

In the 26th minute, Hagner scored to put Harvard up 1-0. The goal-scoring sequence started when the Crimson knocked a corner kick into the box. The Lions defense deflected a Harvard shot, but senior Rachel Lau was able to control the ball outside the box. She then sent it back into the box to Hagner, who slammed a one-timer into the back of the net.

Hagner’s goal against the Lions was her sixth of the season. She is tied for the Crimson lead and is fifth in the Ivy League in scoring this season.

Columbia tied the game 1-1 early in the second half, but neither team could earn the game-winner in regular time. The contest moved into extra time.

With less than a minute left in the second overtime, Hagner received a ball up top and played it through the defense to freshman Melanie Baskind. The pass allowed Baskind to advance toward goal on a breakaway. Before she could shoot, however, the freshman was fouled in the box. Junior Lizzy Nichols emphatically finished the ensuing penalty kick into the upper left corner. The golden goal ended the game and gave Harvard its first Ivy League title since 1999.

The Crimson has been on a tear over the past month, and Hagner is a major reason why. In its last eight games, Harvard is 7-0-1, and all of Hagner’s 13 points have come during this stretch. The junior also recorded an impressive five-game goal-scoring streak in October.

“I think over the course of the season, my role as a forward has become more solidified,” Hagner said. “As I’ve played forward more, I’ve gotten more experience. [The other attackers and I] have gotten more used to our styles of play, and we have such a great connection.”

Hagner’s performance over the weekend was especially impressive because sophomore forward Katherine Sheeleigh was sidelined for most of the game with an injury. The team desperately needed an offensive presence to replace Sheeleigh, who leads the team in goals and is second in points. It was up to Hagner to fill this role, and she did not disappoint.

Though Sheeleigh’s injury was a major setback, the Crimson attack had enough firepower to go on without her.

“We have a very versatile offense,” Hagner said. “We can get crosses off, dribble at them...We have a lot of tricks up our sleeve.”

Hagner is one of two players on Harvard to start all 17 games this season.

In addition to being reliable, the junior has also been one of the most efficient offensive threats. For Crimson players with more than one goal, Hagner has the highest shooting percentage at .188. She has scored her six goals while only taking 32 shots.

Harvard hopes Hagner can repeat the performance she had against the Lions as the Crimson enters the NCAA Tournament.

—Staff writer Jake I. Fisher can be reached at jifisher@fas.harvard.edu.