Junior Charles Altchek had three goals on the weekend, including the Crimson’s only score in a 1-1 tie with Furman.

Home field advantage is only as good as the players who keep it alive on the field.

With a win over Coastal Carolina and a tie against Furman, the Harvard men’s soccer team opened its season at Ohiri Field with two strong defensive efforts.

“We are back at ground zero,” captain Will Craig said. “But the biggest thing is that we are still undefeated at home and that’s how we want to keep it.”

Junior forward Charles Altchek notched three goals in two games and senior goalie Ryan Johnson only gave up one en route to a 3-0 win over the Chanticleers and a 1-1 tie with the Paladins.

The two games marked the first of 10 home games the Crimson (1-1-1) will play on Ohiri Field due to a large number of away matches over the last few seasons.

HARVARD 1, FURMAN 1 (2OT)

The weekend may have started out well for Harvard, but things didn’t end as happily after double overtime in its second game.

The Crimson suffered a disappointing 1-1 tie in a 110-minute game against Furman (0-3-4).

“We had a good performance today,” said Harvard coach John Kerr. “We just didn’t execute those times when we had opportunities to polish them off and get that second goal which would have buried them.”

Harvard’s only goal came in the second half. After receiving the ball from freshman forward John Stamatis, Altchek brought the ball in to shoot from four yards out, just hitting the right corner of the goal.

After the goal, Altchek showed his happiness by taking off his shirt and hugging one of the referees.

Altchek had a couple of breakaway chances earlier on in the game, but it was the first time he was able to convert on the opportunity.

“He’s a real threat,” Kerr said. “Any time the ball is in the air, the other team has to be worried about him.”

But for most of the game the last thing anyone wanted to do was hug the referees, who doled out eight yellow cards throughout the physical contest.