The UConn defense, led by Big East Defensive Player of the Year Casey Zimny, did not allow a goal in two games against Harvard this season.
“[Zimny] is a great player,” Wheaton said. “She organized real well and she cleaned things up a lot.”
Immediately after giving up the first goal, the Crimson came back with some pressure on the UConn defense, but from then on, the Huskies came closer to doubling its lead than Harvard came to erasing it. With 15 minutes left, Borisjuk headed the ball behind Harvard goalkeeper Cheryl Gunther off a free kick, but Gunther reacted quickly and stopped it cleanly.
The Crimson also allowed Huskie junior Salla Ranta to get two open looks at the net off crosses, but she could not finish either. UConn outshot Harvard 16-5 for the day.
UConn advances to the Sweet 16, where it will face Penn State. The Huskies have made the NCAA quarterfinals each year since 1993.
Harvard fell to 3-21-1 all-time against UConn. The Crimson’s 1-0 win at Storrs two years ago is its only win over the Huskies since 1981.
Ivy Honors
Naturally, several Harvard players earned honors when the Ivy League announced its awards last Thursday. Sophomores Katie Westfall and Caitlin Fisher were the team’s two First Team selections.
Westfall was the team’s biggest playmaker with two goals and seven assists for the season. Though her scoring numbers were down from her freshman campaign, she assisted on two of Harvard’s biggest goals of the season—overtime game-winners against Yale in September and against Hartford on Thursday.
“Katie is just the kind of player who has a touch on the ball that every team needs,” Costello said. “She’s our general on the field.”
Fisher shined in her transition from outside midfielder to the backfield this season. In the NCAA tournament, she single-handedly stopped several Hartford and UConn scoring bids in dazzling fashion.
“Caitlin [Fisher] is a very physical player, which made her very dangerous,” Costello said. “She’s just one of the most athletic kids we had, and she’s capable of outbattling anyone.”
Sophomore back Liza Barber earned Second Team All-Ivy honors, and Gunther earned honorable mention. Besides being a stifling defender, Barber has been Harvard’s most prolific source of offense on corner kicks., the most memorable instance being a game-winning header against Marquette.
Gunther was a physical presence in net while handling all kinds of pressure this season.
“Our defense has kept us in games all year long,” Wheaton said. “They’re just strong, athletic, they clean up a lot. They do a great job.”
Among the forwards, Yenne, the team’s overall leading scorer, was named to the Second Team, while Totman, the team’s leader in game-winning goals, earned honorable mention.
Weed—once a freshman All-American before suffering through an injury-plague sophomore year—also earned honorable mention last week.