Azelby's first interception brought Harvard to the Princeton 30, but the Crimson attack moved the ball only four yards in three plays and Villanueva's 44-yard field goal attempt failed.
The Princeton offense switched into comeback mode soon after, putting together a 10-play, 79-yard touchdown drive. But it was the 11th play that burned the Tigers.
Princeton tried a two-point conversion, but Azelby teamed with Kevin Garvin to stop quarterback Doug Butler short of the goal line.
"I didn't want to get in the situation of making the decision [to go for two points for a win] later on," Navarro explained after the game. "I didn't want the game to come down to that level."
As a result, the Tigers' found themselves needing a touchdown and a two-point conversion just to tie. The touchdown came 1-27 into the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion didn't.
Meanwhile, Butler was passing almost every play in his way to a 424 yard day, 30 for-50. Defensive end Morgan Rector and Mark Mead pressured Butler continually, and Azelby blitzed often. The inevitable happened late in the fourth quarter. Azelby hit Butler, the ball popped loose, and Mead recovered on-the Princeton six.
Three plays later Gizzi gave Harvard what turned out to be the winning touchdown when he faked to Ernst over the middle and took it around left end himself.
Princeton was down, 28-19, with just under four minutes left. Butler used almost two of them for the final touchdown drive, and when Chuck Shirey recovered the outside kick all Harvard had to do was run out the clock.
THE NOTEBOOK: Ernst carried 19 times for 115 yards, a 6.1-yard average...Villanueva punted eight times for a 40.5-yard average...Linebacker Andy Nolan saw action for the first time since the Columbia game, when calcification of a thigh bruise took him out of the lineup. Also back in action was defensive tackle Barry Ford, who hurt his abdomen against UMass. Cornerback John Dailey had a ligament taken out of his knee Thursday. He is doubtful for Saturday's game at Brown. Quarterback Brian White is still out after doctors removed a blood clot from his throwing arm...Azelby had 12 tackles and five assists. "I like beating the boys from Jersey," he said, explaining that he knew Tiger tailback Ralph Ferraro from his high school days in the Garden State. P--Mike Coveny 2 run (Mike Miskovsky kick) H--Greg Gizzi 47 run (Jim Villanueva kick) H--Peter Ceko 21 pass from Gizzi (Villanueva kick) H--Steve O'Brian 2 run (Villanueva kick) P--Ralph Ferraro 9 pass from Doug Butler (Butler run failed) P--Coveny 2 run (Butler pass failed) M--Gizzi 2 run (Villanueva kick) P--Ferraro 1 run (Miskovsky kick) Att.--19.500