“I was just trying to get it on frame, [not trying to chip it],” Gjertsen said.

Now down by two goals to a UConn team that had not allowed two goals in a game since the opening week of the season, the situation was dire for the Crimson. But Harvard continued to battle.

“I think the thing that has defined our team this year has been our character,” Harvard coach Tim Wheaton said. “Even today, after Connecticut got the second goal, we didn’t quit and we were still convinced we would win the game. A lot of teams would have crumbled, and a lot of teams would have quit. These girls believe in themselves, and they’ve showed it all year long.”

But UConn’s lead ultimately proved to be insurmountable. Colvin pulled the Crimson within one, scoring her final collegiate goal with 1:25 remaining. Colvin took the ball past her defender and fired it towards Husky goalkeeper Megan Jessee, who came off her line to challenge.

The ball squirted past Jessee, and the alert Colvin pulled herself up from the ground and raced through the snow to send the ball into the back of the empty net.

That was all that time would allow, however. Harvard was unable to gain control of the ball in UConn’s defensive end in the final second, and the Crimson’s run was over.

“I’m very proud of our girls,” Wheaton said. “That’s a good UConn team. We wish them well.”

That UConn team improved to 18-6-1 yesterday, upending Colgate 4-0 to advance to the third round, where it will face No. 4 Notre Dame.

—Staff writer Jonathan P. Hay can be reached at hay@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer Carrie H. Petri can be reached at cpetri@fas.harvard.edu.