The Harvard women’s soccer team (5-4, 1-0 Ivy) pummeled New Hampshire (2-7-1, 0-0 America East) in a 4-1 win Sunday afternoon at Soldiers Field Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium.
It was a true team effort, with four different players scoring each of the Crimson’s goals.
Harvard freshman Erika Garcia, junior Catherine Coppinger, who is also a Crimson sports editor, sophomore Elizabeth Weisman, and rookie Meg Cascells-Hamby each contributed a goal to light up the scoreboard and bolster the home team to victory.
“One of the things we have been focusing on the whole year is playing as a team,” sophomore midfielder Kristina Garrido said. “I think we really showed that [Sunday]—27 [players]-strong.”
Harvard had clear control in the first half of play, tallying 14 shots while its opponent logged a mere three.
The Crimson passed around the Wildcats with ease to give rise to several chances on goal.
With 8:55 already played, junior midfielder Aisha Price slotted the ball to Garcia who knocked it in from just inside the six-yard box.
New Hampshire tried to counter Harvard’s offensive force, but the Crimson’s defense prematurely shut down all Wildcat attempts in Harvard territory, leaving Crimson goalie Bethany Kanten with an uneventful half.
“That was one of the things we focused on going into the game,” Garrido said. “[Harvard coach Ray Leone] said defense first, and then we can go into the attack.”
And attack the squad did.
After its first goal, the Crimson continued to possess the ball and kept applying the pressure on the visiting team.
Harvard worked the ball up both wings and had several crosses in the 18-yard box.
“We were getting everybody involved in our attack, and that was a good thing,” Leone said. “[It] seemed like a lot of people were touching the ball in every attack.”
New Hampshire’s Megan Ledwith had one good look on goal with 6:15 remaining.
But her attempt from the top of the 18-yard box went wide left, and Harvard quickly resumed its potent offensive attack.
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