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After two 1-1 ties against Holy Cross and Rhode Island to open the 2024 fall season, the Harvard Men’s soccer team (0-1-2, 0-0 Ivy) fell to No. 13 Seton Hall on Saturday, ultimately falling 3-2 in a closely contested match.

The Crimson entered this season with high hopes having finished second in the Ivy League standings last year, marking its highest finish in the conference league table since 2015. This year, the team earned the No. 3 position in the Ivy Preseason Poll, closely trailing behind UPenn and Yale. Despite this initial preseason praise, the team will miss the presence of midfielder Willem Ebbinge, who made 29 career assists, the second highest tally in Harvard history.

Harvard’s season started with two draws that demonstrated its ability to respond under pressure. In the season opener against Holy Cross on August 31st, the Crimson fought back from a goal down when sophomore Dylan Tellado scored the equalizer with a header in the 73rd minute, just seven minutes after Holy Cross had opened the scoring. Five days later, Harvard traveled to Rhode Island, where it once again conceded a goal early. This time, the team was able to register its response through the leadership of senior Marko Isakovic, who scored a penalty in the 36th minute to secure another 1-1 draw. These games showed that the Crimson had a strong defensive line, led by junior goalkeepers Lucian Wood and Cullen MacNeil, who made seven crucial saves in total. Despite this, the team still struggles with converting chances into goals, only scoring two goals on 27 shots, 11 of which were on target.

Harvard 2, Seton Hall 3

Heading into this past weekend, the squad’s hope of redeeming itself from its poor opening performances was squashed as the team was unable to find glory against Seton Hall. While play remained neutral for the first 34 minutes of the game, Harvard was able to strike paydirt first, although the visiting Crimson was unable to sustain its newfound level of momentum.

Showcasing the depth of its bench and younger players, it was once again Tellado who sailed it past the opposing goalkeeper. The sophomore, who scored his second goal of the season and fifth of his career, was assisted by senior Kristján Gunnarsson and first-year Xavier Tanyi. Tellado capitalized on a well-executed play that began with Tanyi sending the ball to Gunnarsson on the right side. Gunnarsson then set up Tellado at the top of the box, where he drove a low shot off the right post and into the back of the net. This gave the Crimson a 1-0 lead, which it held through halftime with the help of a strong defensive effort and crucial stops by junior goalkeeper Lucian Wood, who made three key saves in the first half to keep the Pirates off the scoreboard.

Seton Hall, however, came out strong in the second half and equalized in the 52nd minute when Jon Vignir Pétursson converted a penalty. Til Kausche then took the lead in the 61st minute and extended it to 3-1 in the 79th minute with a goal from Jack Kossoudji.

Despite falling behind, the Crimson showed resilience and continued to fight for every play. In the final moments of the match, Tanyi pulled one back for Harvard in the 90th minute, scoring his first collegiate goal off a corner kick from Isakovic. After Isakovic’s corner was flicked on by senior Jan Riecke and Tellado, Tanyi positioned himself perfectly near the left post to tap the ball into the net, narrowing the score to 3-2.

“This game showed that we are capable of playing against a top-20 team and this shows plenty of promise for the season,” junior midfielder Matúš Vician said.

Tellado was a standout performer for the Crimson, tallying three points on a goal and an assist, leading the team with five points on the season. Tellado has been involved in two of Harvard’s first four goals this season, while Tanyi has also impressed with a goal and an assist, both contributing significantly to the team’s early offensive efforts.

Harvard’s defense, led by junior goalkeeper Lucian Wood, put up a commendable effort against a high-powered Seton Hall offense. Wood’s three saves in the first half were important in maintaining the Crimson’s early lead. Among the field players, seniors Ludovico Rollo, Riecke, and Sam Bjarnason displayed their experience and endurance, each playing the full 90 minutes.

Despite the loss, Harvard’s performance against a nationally ranked opponent demonstrated its ability to compete at a high level. The Crimson will aim to refine its play as it continues its five-game road stretch, seeking its first win of the season.

This Tuesday, Harvard will face off against Boston rival Northeastern University, in what will be a hotly contested match across the rivers. The game will kick off at 6 pm, and will be streamed on FloFC.

—Staff writer Nghia Nguyen can be reached at nghia.nguyen@thecrimson.com

—Staff writer Maisa Ali can be reached at maisa.ali@thecrimson.com