Despite Notre Dame's success in both ends of the field, however, the Harvard defense played well enough to keep the Irish lead at just one goal going into the halftime.

"Holding them to one goal, we felt like we were still in the game," co-captain Brooke McCarthy said. "There was a whole 'nother half to go and we had nothing to lose."

But the Irish came out just as dominant in the second stanza as they did in the first. Just five minutes into the period, Notre Dame notched an insurance goal, once again off a corner kick.

Erickson unleashed the pass from the right side, and after the ball hit off back Monica Gonzales, midfielder Mia Sarkesian pounced on the loose ball and drilled it into the back of the net.

"There was a scramble in the box, and it was unfortunate that they got to [the ball] first," McCarthy said. "It was disappointing because you feel like if you can hold them to no goals in the run of play, it's just disappointing to get two goals off set pieces that you feel like you should've had more control over."

The tally gave the Irish--which has not given up two goals in a game all season--some needed breathing room for the rest of the half.

"I felt like if we got a second goal, the game would be over," Waldrum said. "I think Harvard's got a great team and Tim's done a very good job with them of being able historically to hang in games where they weren't predicted to do well. They've stole some wins that way."

"That was my biggest concern--that they could counter us," Waldrum said. "So I thought we needed a second goal to kind of ensure things."