Women's Soccer Wins Ivy Title

With the announcer counting down from 10, the Harvard women’s soccer team held its collective breath as a Dartmouth midfielder launched a desperation kick before the buzzer. But the ball deflected off a Harvard defender and the Crimson earned to right to raise Ivy League championship trophy for the fourth time in six years.

“Winning the Ivy League, it’s a day you remember forever,” co-captain Peyton Johnson said. “And it got to be at home, and because it was senior day all our parents were here. Just to share that with so many people is something we’re not going to forget.”

Predictably so, it was Johnson, who previously hoisted the Ivy hardware in her sophomore year, who put the Crimson (11-3-2, 6-0 Ivy) on top for good in the 2-1 victory. But the way the defender sparked her team was not so predictable.

As freshman forward Midge Purce dribbled up to just above the box with some space to work with, surveying her options, she could have chosen to take the shot herself. After all, she had blown by two Dartmouth (7-6-3, 3-3 Ivy) defenders and shook a third before scoring her Ivy League-leading 11th goal 15 minutes prior.

But this time, Purce decided to spread the wealth a bit and settle for the assist. Catching the Big Green defense out of position, she threaded a perfect pass to the sprinting Johnson, who chipped the ball over charging Dartmouth goaltender Tatiana Saunders for her first goal of the season to put Harvard up, 2-0.

“The ball had a lot of momentum going forward and didn’t want to stop—it just kept going,” Johnson said. “Midge led me a great ball and somehow I had the composure to finish it.”

“[The goal] gave me chills because it was her first goal of the season,” Purce said. “It was her senior night. She plays awesome every single game, so consistently, and I’m so glad she scored that goal.”

Though the Crimson was up, 2-0, at the half, Johnson’s goal gave Harvard some breathing room it ended up needing.

Out of the break, the Big Green offense came out firing, taking 11 shots and scoring off a corner kick in the 64th minute. The goal was the first given up by a Harvard goaltender in two games and the first in three games by freshman goaltender Lizzie Durack.

But the Crimson was able to hold onto the lead even as Dartmouth turned up the offensive pressure.

Big Green forward Jessica Lukas had just Durack standing between her and the goal with a few minutes left in the contest. But her left-footed hook shot didn’t quite curve enough, hitting the side of the goal, and Dartmouth would not get another chance to equalize.

“Talk about saving the game,” Purce said. “Our goalies were like Supermen back there—they saved the game. So many times they get their hands on balls that I can’t even imagine, and they keep us in [the game].”

Keying the Crimson offense the whole afternoon, Purce was all over the field from the start, beginning the game with a shot from the center of midfield that went wide of the goal. But a little bit later, her shooting did not fail her.

Advancing down the middle of the field in the 19th minute, Purce used her speed to leave two green shirts in the dust before encountering the Big Green’s Jill Dayneka. Seconds later, the 6’0” sophomore was lying on the turf, the victim of a Purce crossover. She could only watch as Purce blasted the ball to the top right of the net.

“[Junior forward] Meg [Casscells-Hamby] made a really good run, and she opened up a lot of space,” Purce said. “Our team moved really well off the ball…. It was an amazing team effort with the chemistry to know where we were going.”

Harvard dominated on offense the whole first half with 12 shots, while the Big Green only got off a single shot. The Crimson nearly scored twice in the first 15 minutes, with senior forward Elizabeth Weisman getting two opportunities and just missing each time. Her header in the box got past Saunders but a Dartmouth defender standing in the goal headed the shot out of harm’s way.

Just a minute later, a Harvard free kick from just outside the box bounced right to Weisman as she sprinted into the goalie box, but her shot soared high over the crossbar.

Along with clinching the Ivy League title with the win, the Crimson extended its unbeaten streak to 13 games, the longest since 1999.

“It’s exciting, and I wouldn’t want to share it with anyone else,” Purce said. “When you win [the championship] with people you’re close to it makes it that much better.”