Urke Picks Up Goal, Assist in Win

Most freshmen spend the first weeks of the school year slowly adjusting to college life. But standout freshman soccer player Lauren Urke has had no problem adjusting to the fast-paced play on the pitch.

With a goal and an assist on Sunday, Urke helped lead the Harvard women’s soccer team over the University of Connecticut.

Despite the Huskies’ 30-year dominance over the Crimson, a strong freshman class—headlined by Urke—shifted the balance in Harvard’s favor. In the second minute of play against UConn at Ohiri Field, Urke scored the first goal of her promising career.

“[Co-captain Melanie Baskind] got the ball at the top of the 18 [meter mark], and she played me a through ball,” Urke explained. “The keeper came out, and I was able to finish it.”

Coming off of a highly decorated high school career, Urke has wasted no time turning heads at the collegiate level, according to coach Ray Leone.

Leone is not the only coach who has noticed Urke’s great start, as she was named the Ivy League’s co-rookie of the week on Monday.

“[It was a] fantastic goal, a great little play where [Urke] got free in the backside,” he said. “It was amazing—she’s a winner.”

In the start of the second period, the Crimson got things going early with a goal 10 minutes into the half, and Urke was in the middle of the action. This time, Urke fed junior Alexandra Conigliaro a perfect ball that she was able to head into the back of the net, giving Harvard a 2-1 advantage. It was all the Crimson needed.

“[Urke] just responded to whatever pressure there was and whatever nerves she had, and really stepped up for us,” Baskind said.

“We are all very proud of her,” Conigliaro added. “She’s coming in as a freshman, starting in the first game, and she’s really making an impact.”

Only a couple weeks into her Harvard career, Urke, who is interested in studying engineering, has made a seemingly flawless transition into the Crimson program. Urke credits the cohesive team dynamic in helping her adjust so quickly.

Urke’s early-season heroics also reflect the hard work she has put into her game throughout her pre-Harvard career, especially this past summer.

“[Urke] is a freshman that came in really fit and proved from day one that she could compete for a starting spot,” Baskind said, “She is incredibly hard working and always asking questions ... She is a great addition to the team.”

Besides competing with her club soccer team from her hometown of Medina, Minn., Urke also frequently took to the field for intense conditioning.  Urke’s high-level fitness can be partly attributed to the oxygen depriving drill called “120s,” which consist of a full-field sprint followed by a recovery jog back, repeated 10 times a session.

With her offseason dedication, Urke seems completely focused on what lies ahead for the women’s program.

“This team has huge potential,” she said. “Our goal is to win the Ivy Championship, which I know we can do ... We will use the win [against UConn] as a stepping stone for what we can do in the future.”

With Sunday’s win, its third in a row, the team is off to its best start in a decade, holding a 3-1 season record and perfect 3-0 home record.  The Crimson will try to take advantage of its momentum as it shifts its attention to Wednesday’s game at Boston University.

With BU currently ranked 20th in the country with a 5-2-1 record for the season, a lot will be asked of Urke, both on Terrier turf and for the remainder of the season.

“She brings more than just those goals,” Conigliaro said. “She definitely has some smarts to her and is all around having a great impact on our team.”