STORRS, Conn.—It took over 137 minutes and four overtimes for last night’s NCAA first-round game between the Harvard women’s soccer team and Hartford to be decided, but the ending was worth the effort for the Crimson.

Thanks to junior forward Beth Totman’s sixth goal of the season, Harvard ended the longest game in school history in victorious, dramatic fashion.

Sophomore midfielder Katie Westfall started the game-winning attack from midfield by sending a long pass to junior forward Joey Yenne, who controlled it just inside the 18. As the Hartford defense converged on her, Yenne turned her back to the net and sent the ball across to an oncoming Totman.

Totman had an open look at the net, and she buried it right side past Hartford goalkeeper Anne Lise Nilssen to give the Crimson (11-5) the 1-0 victory over the Hawks (15-6).

“Joey slipped me the ball, and I was wide open,” Totman said. “She kind of made it easy for me, and I made sure it was going to go in.”

Harvard, ranked No. 23 in the nation, now moves on to the second round of the NCAA tournament tomorrow at noon, when it will face No. 13 Connecticut (17-5).

Totman also scored the game-winner in Harvard’s 1-0 regular season victory over the Hawks. As in that contest, she made good on her only golden opportunity yesterday. It was the second year in a row that the Crimson ended the Hawks’ NCAA run.

And just like last year, Harvard managed to move past its late-regular-season woes and regain its composure in time for the NCAA tournament.

“After the last game [a 3-1 loss to Penn], we felt that [heart] was a piece that was missing,” said Harvard Coach Tim Wheaton. “We talked about that all week. And today I haven’t seen a team play with this much heart in a long time, and I’m really proud of them.”

Three of the more tangible keys to Harvard’s victory were the backfield, which did not allow one easy opportunity all night; its fitness; and its expanded substitution rotation, which kept the Harvard’s players’ legs fresh throughout game.

“We’ve been working really hard on fitness and focus, and I think that showed today,” Wheaton said.

The young Crimson backs—freshman Liza Barber and sophomores Lauren Cozzolino and Caitlin Fisher—turned several seemingly dangerous Hartford breaks into harmless throw-ins, and headed every high ball directed their way into the opposite direction without fail.

Freshman Falyne Chave was equally effective when she stepped in for Barber, who left due to injury.

“Our defense has been great all year,” Wheaton said. “A freshman, Falyne Chave, coming into a game like this—stepping in for an injured Liza Barber—I thought she did a great job. Cheryl made great saves and organized well They just played with great heart.”

Fisher stopped one of Hartford’s best scoring chances 20 minutes into the game when Hartford forward Tini Lyng appeared to have a clean breakaway. Fisher rushed back and slide-tackled her just inside the 18.