Painter responded with Harvard’s first goal of the season at 21:12, carrying the ball up the field and finishing after a quick give-and-go from Balleza.
Balleza kept the momentum going with a goal five minutes later, following up on a blocked shot with her own that bounced right over the defenders’ heads.
The Bulldogs opened the second half with a goal in the 51st minute, again off of a corner penalty. But Balleza responded once more, adding what would prove to be the game-winning goal less than two minutes later.
With a team composed of 21 athletes, the Crimson prides itself on being 21 players strong. The bench saw significant playing time over the weekend, contributing on the field with assists in both games and a goal on Friday night.
“Our team has a level of respect,” Wellington said. “The freshmen aren’t too scared to step up and perform when we’re on the field. Because there’s the same consistency throughout all four years, it’s really fluid movement on and off the field. We’re all one unit.”
—Staff writer Orlea L. Miller can be reached at omiller@college.harvard.edu.