Women's Soccer: Hoy scores late to defeat Harvard

Harvard’s game against Brown last weekend ended dramatically, with the Crimson scoring two goals in the last 20 minutes for a come-from-behind victory. Now it was Harvard’s turn to learn the same lesson: Even as the game ends, expect the unexpected.

On Saturday, the women’s soccer team played at Harvard in what seemed to be just another scoreless draw until freshman forward Jen Hoy scored the game-winner in the thrilling final five minutes.

In terms of this Ivy League rivalry, this game successfully ended Harvard’s historic winning streak. Though Harvard and Princeton have been competing in women’s soccer since 1977, the Tigers (6-6-3 overall, 2-2-1 Ivy League) haven’t shut out the Crimson (7-6-1, 4-1-0) on its own turf for almost 24 years, and Princeton’s last win over Harvard was on the now-defunct Lourie-Love Field back in 2006.

“Harvard was the team to beat,” senior forward and tri-captain Marci Pasenello said.

Additionally, the loss to Harvard was Princeton’s only Ivy League defeat last year.

“I think there was a lot of pressure going in, and having that mentality and keeping the energy high and being positive was important,” Pasenello said.

Realizing Harvard’s strengths and staying focused throughout the game seemed to work in Princeton’s advantage. The Tigers were able to carry out some great passes and maintain a strong defense. Princeton only had three shots on goal, yet it got the best out of every opportunity, while Harvard’s 10 shots on goal were all blocked by Princeton junior goalkeeper Alyssa Pont.

Pont has played every minute this season, and her goals-against average is now a stingy .837.

“I think that all of our touches were really on, and we were passing pretty well and connecting. Everyone did their part in getting back and defending and then pushing forward,” Hoy said.

Overall, the Tigers had control of the ball and didn’t let small setbacks such as fouls or offsides knock them off track.

“There weren’t too many moments where we felt we weren’t going to win,” Pasenello said.

At the beginning of the game, however, the Crimson started strong as Harvard forward Katherine Sheeleigh made the first shot on goal of the game in the 17th minute, attempting to take advantage of a corner kick.

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In the second half of the game, Harvard forward Melanie Baskind even had two back-to-back shots in one minute, and one was a nerve-racking one-on-one confrontation with Pont. Princeton’s defense, however, successfully kept Harvard at bay.

With only nine minutes left in the game, Hoy was substituted in. After another Harvard shot from Sheeleigh, Hoy took control of the ball and put it away for the win into the bottom right-hand corner of the net in the 85th minute. Hoy’s game-winner was her third career goal, as well as the Tigers’ 12th goal of the season.

The excitement at the end of the game kept up until the very last moment, as Harvard forward Caroline Albanese had one final shot with only one second left.

Unlike previous games in which the Tigers statistically played better across the board and still did not pull off a win, Princeton was able to hold off Harvard and find offensive opportunities at the same time.

“I was just afraid they were going to get one of those balls. Like that, it would be a repeat of what has happened. We play so well, and then the other team gets an easy goal,” Hoy said.

Harvard is the defending Ivy League champion, and its record coming into Saturday’s game reflected its top-of-the-roster position— an undefeated conference record in the Ivy League and a six-game winning streak overall.

Princeton has also been undefeated for its past four games, with two draws and two wins. The Tigers needed a win against Harvard to stay in the running for a bid for the NCAA tournament.

Where will the Tigers go from this win? The pressure isn’t over yet. As exhilarating and significant as this victory may be, Princeton is only barely on the list of teams that can still win this year’s Ivy League championship.

Harvard and Yale are tied for first place with 12 points each, while Princeton has seven points and Penn only has six.

“We have to win our next two games if we want a chance. Technically, if Harvard and Yale tie their next two games or lose, which is definitely possible — crazier things have happened — we could potentially have a two league or three league tie with Harvard and Yale,” Pasenello said.

The Tigers face Cornell, which they defeated, 4-0, last November, at Roberts Stadium on Oct. 31.