The road was slightly bumpier this time around, but for the fourth straight season, the Harvard women's soccer team has advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Crimson (11-7, 4-3 Ivy) earned the chance to continue on in the tourney by defeating Quinnipiac 2-1 in the opening round yesterday at Ohiri Field.

Just four days after breaking her left hand in Harvard's season finale against Columbia, senior forward Ashley Mattison exploded for two goals to provide all of Harvard's offense.

The tallies accounted for Mattison's first points of the year and could not have come at a more perfect time, as the Crimson snapped a losing streak that had spanned the final five games of the regular season.

With the victory, the Crimson will now travel to Hartford, where it will clash with the No. 19 Hawks on Saturday for the right to advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals.

"We certainly felt like we were under the microscope a little bit because of backing in [to the tournament], so we felt we wanted to prove something today," Harvard Coach Tim Wheaton said.

The second of Mattison's two strikes came in the 55th minute with the game tied at one goal apiece. The score was set up by a Crimson corner kick, as sophomore midfielder Orly Ripmaster launched one of her trademark booming passes from the right side. The ball soared to the far post of the Quinnipiac net, where freshman fullback Kathleen Ferguson headed it to Mattison, who booted it into the back of the net.

"There was no one in front of me so I just hit it, and it went through a couple of legs," said Mattison, who sported a cast on her injured hand. "[Sophomore forward] Joey [Yenne] was in front of the keeper shielding her so it was just good timing."