Double-Overtime Bout To Start Season Ends in Tie

Even reigning Ivy League champions can struggle to find a rhythm. Coming off a campaign that resulted in its first Ancient Eight title in nine years, the Harvard women’s soccer team still found plenty to work on before the Ivy slate begins in three weeks.

The Crimson (0-1-1) kicked off its 33rd season at Ohiri Field on Friday afternoon, battling a slow start in a 1-1 double-overtime draw with San Diego State (2-2-1).

“We didn’t bring the effort, we didn’t bring the pride that we usually do to this field,” co-captain Lizzy Nichols said.

Although the Crimson returns with the majority of its starting lineup—including its top three goal scorers—it was not an upperclassman that put Harvard on the scoreboard.

Of the Crimson’s 10 incoming members of the class of 2013, several logged significant playing time in the 110-minute season opener, including defender Taryn Kurcz and midfielder Aisha Price.

The most visible was freshman forward Caroline Albanese, who put her team ahead 1-0 in the opening two minutes of the second half.

All-Ivy junior forward Katherine Sheeleigh passed the ball down the right side to a streaking Albanese, who snuck a shot to the right of the diving Aztec keeper.

The goal came after a scoreless first half marked by staunch defense, with each team managing only two shots on goal during the period.

“Just looked slow, speed of play [was] slow—over-passing...I think it was just first game jitters,” Harvard coach Ray Leone said.

Brought to life by Harvard’s late offensive awakening, the visiting squad went on the attack beginning in the 51st minute.

One San Diego State shot hit the crossbar, while another went high, and a trio of corner kicks was cleared by the Crimson defense.

But the fourth corner kick would be the charm, when Aztec defender Allie Crowson knocked in a header to knot the score at one goal apiece.

San Diego State dominated the rest of the period, outshooting its hosts 8-2. As regulation time ticked away, the Aztecs earned a free kick on the left side. A San Diego State midfielder directed it towards the goal, only to find it turned away with two seconds left to play—not by senior keeper Lauren Mann, but by the post.

Harvard renewed its attack in the first 10-minute overtime session, finishing with a 3-0 advantage in shots. Sophomore Melanie Baskind took her first crack less than a minute in, but her attempt was cleared, as was a shot by classmate Patricia Yau.

In the second overtime, the Crimson’s endurance began to waver while the game-tested San Diego State—which nearly toppled No. 4 Stanford last week—flourished, outshooting Harvard, 6-0, in the period.

“We’re not game-fit yet,” Leone admitted.

The Aztecs had multiple opportunities for the golden goal as time wound down, but once again, it was the post that played foil.

San Diego State captain Cat Walker followed a blocked shot with a strong attempt from just inside the box, which ricocheted off the left post with five and a half minutes to play.

“I do think San Diego State deserved to win—two crossbars in the latter seconds of the game—we dodged it,” Leone said.

Walker later had one of her game-high tying seven shots stopped by Mann with less than two minutes remaining, and an Aztec shot as time expired went wide as well.

At the end of the day, San Diego State finished with a 24-17 advantage in shots and 7-3 in corner kicks.

—Staff writer Dennis J. Zheng can be reached at zheng12@college.harvard.edu.