It was a depressing scene at Ohiri Field two Saturdays ago. The Harvard women's soccer team had just been stunned 2-1 by Columbia in its regular season finale, and the prevailing sentiment was that the Crimson's season was over.

But as she tended to the broken left hand she sustained earlier in the overtime defeat, one Harvard senior decided she wasn't ready for her college career to end just yet.

And so when the college soccer gods afforded the Crimson an extra life in the form of an NCAA Tournament bid, forward Ashley Mattison made sure the Crimson would be sticking around as long as possible.

In Harvard's tournament opener against Quinnipiac last Wednesday, Mattison single-handedly ensured a trip to the second round, scoring both goals in the Crimson's 2-1 victory.

Three days later against No. 19 Hartford, Mattison again set the pace for the Crimson, scoring a heroic opening goal that stood up as the game-winning tally.

After a shot by freshman midfielder Katie Westfall deflected off the crossbar, Mattison zeroed in on the rebound and laid herself out to sneak a header into the Hawks' net.

Mattison ended up paying a huge price on the play, as she collided forcefully with the Hartford goalkeeper and landed face-first in the dirt.

"She gave it everything she had on that goal," co-captain Lauren Corkery said. "She dived for the ball, and actually got hurt--the goalie cleated her in the ribs."