On Aug 27 of last year, the UConn women’s soccer team left Cambridge, Mass. with a 2-1 loss at the hands of the Harvard Crimson. For the first 60 minutes of Sunday evening’s spring season opener, it looked like the Huskies would suffer an even worse fate on their home turf, Joseph J. Morrone Stadium.
The Crimson started scoring in the fifth minute when defender August Hunter, who played phenomenal defense all game, made a precision pass for Josefine Hasbo. Hasbo sent the ball past goalkeeper Kaitlyn Mahoney, putting the Crimson up 1-0. UConn came back firing on the other end with multiple corner kick opportunities in the seventh and eighth minutes, but all they could muster at the net was a header that went out of bounds from forward Chioma Okafor.
Hasbo once again pushed the pace the other way for Harvard, centering the ball for sophomore Audrey Francois who dished it off to Nicola Golen. Golen netted the goal and established a 2-0 Harvard lead 10 minutes into the game. UConn looked dead in the water with the only sign of life in the first period coming in the 22nd minute when Anaya Johnson’s shot on goal hit the top of the crossbar. The horn sounded after 30 minutes and UConn went into the second period down 2-0.
The second period was mostly a chess match between the two squads as MaryKate Ward took over in net for the Huskies. Ward thwarted an early opportunity from Ólöf Kristinsdóttir in the 32nd minute and then UConn had a chance of their own a minute later. Laci Lewis crossed the ball into the center of the field, but it was caught by Harvard’s goalkeeper Rhiannon Stewart. Stewart, who hails from London, England, shut out the Huskies for the first two periods with multiple diving saves. The 40th and 41st minutes held golden opportunities for UConn, as shots on goal by Okafor, Johnson and freshman Lydia LeBlanc could not find the back of the net. The Huskies remained down 2-0 at the end of the second period.
The third period was all UConn with a mix of young and old blood leading the way. Freshman Elizabeth DiBlasi, who did not see any playing time in the fall season, took over in net for the Huskies while sophomore Denver Tolson entered the net for the Crimson. The momentum change was evident, as in the first three minutes of the period. UConn constantly applied pressure onto the Crimson. In the 64th minute, Okafor made a cross from the left to the right side of the turf. After a centered kick by a Husky, freshman Alexandra Taylor headed the ball into the back of the net. The North Stonington native stayed down after the play but was able to walk back on her own weight.
The Huskies had another attempt in the 67th minute with a header off the crossbar while on the other end the Crimson had one of their own, which was saved by DiBlasi. The 71st minute brought chaos after the ball was centered by the Huskies. Goalkeeper Tolson and defender Jade Rose collided, leaving a loose ball to be knocked in by Okafor. Okafor was very verbal after her goal, encouraging the team to keep up the intensity on the offensive and defensive ends.
The goalies began to shine as DiBlasi had a diving grab off a Harvard free kick in the 73rd minute. Tolson then returned the favor in the 74th minute with a diving save of her own. The 76th minute was a scramble for the ball on Harvard’s side of the field until it was finally cleared by the Crimson. Both teams had one more opportunity to score, as UConn had a shot on net in the 86th minute and on the other end, an entry pass from the Crimson was behind Kristinsdóttir.
The game ended in a 2-2 draw and UConn head coach Margaret Rodriguez should be very happy with the future of the Huskies. Okafor, just a sophomore, is not only one of the best players on the team, but also a vocal leader. Freshman Maya Mathis played exceptional defense the entire third period to go along with the excellent goalkeeper play by DiBlasi and the header goal by Taylor. This UConn team should be in the Big East title picture next season, and the years to come.
The Huskies’ next game is at home against Canada’s National Development Centres on March 22 at 3 p.m.