“I’ve never seen a team so welcoming, so open,” Becker said. “There’s just support and love for each other…one of the greatest achievements of our class was just establishing a team culture of really being a family.”
On the offensive side of the pitch on Saturday, freshman forward Murphy Agnew, junior midfielder Leah Mohammadi, and Stollar took two shots apiece, totaling six for the game for the visitors. Those three players finished with the most points for Harvard in 2017-18.
Blossoming midway through the season, Agnew, who amassed four goals and five assists, led the team in season points. Her accomplishment marked the first time a rookie has been the program’s top points-getter since Midge Purce ’17 led the team in 2013-14. Mohammadi also chipped in a team-high 60 shots on the season, and her four goals and four assists were good for a new career-high in points.
The incoming class also stepped up in a few spots this year—freshman defender/midfielder Linda Liedel recorded two goals on the year, one against then-No.17 Princeton, and fellow rookie defender Maria DiMartinis contributed three assists, playing in all but one of the Crimson’s games this season.
Saturday’s outcome extended a streak of good results for Harvard against Columbia, as it now holds a 9-0-1 record against the Lions in the last ten games and a 27-3-2 all-time lead. In addition, last year’s title-clinching 2-1 victory also came against Columbia.
This year, the visiting Crimson
successfully played the role of spoiler at the Lions’ expense. In order to tie for the Ivy League title, Columbia had needed to win to keep pace with Princeton, who had beaten Penn earlier in the day, 1-0, but the tie meant the Lions went home two points shy of the throne.
“We weren’t playing for the title, but we played like we were,” Hamblin said. “I was so proud of how the team stepped up against a team that was playing for everything.”
In their quest for a title, Columbia senior defender/forward Natalie Neshat fired off 10 shots on Saturday and junior netminder Sophie Whitehouse posted her sixth Ivy League shutout, but it wasn’t to be. Sensationally, Whitehouse and the Columbia defense only gave up one goal in all of conference play.
Despite these efforts, and despite upsetting Princeton on October 14, Columbia will have to watch as the Tigers dance into the NCAA tournament.
In a season that saw Harvard undergo some tough times on the pitch, including a 1-5 stretch at the start of Ivy play, ending the season with a hard-fought victory over Dartmouth and tie against a team vying for the title certainly have the Crimson looking up. Had Columbia won today’s matchup, they would have tied for the Ancient Eight crown with the Princeton Tigers.
“This was a tough year, for many reasons in regards to some of the challenges we faced, the injuries we had, and some of the losses we took,” Hamblin said. “We’re really proud we could do that [for our seniors]. [Our seniors] are incredible women and we’re going to miss them.”
As for the future of Harvard women’s soccer, the underclassmen already have the outgoing class’s vote of confidence.
“I’m more than positive that they’re going to take the Ivy League apart,” Becker said. “They’ve already shown their potential this year, and all the incredible freshmen growing into their roles and getting adjusted to college soccer, I’m so excited for.”
With an overall record of .500, Saturday’s tie also secured the Crimson its 11th-straight season with a record of .500 or better.