Harvard to Play No. 7 Boston College in Opening Round of 2009 NCAA Tournament

Pictured: The Harvard women's soccer team won its ninth Ivy League title this fall.
Photo courtesy: David Silverman Photography

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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – After winning its second straight Ivy League title, the Harvard women’s soccer team has advanced to the NCAA tournament for the second time in as many years and will face No. 7 Boston College, a two-seed, in the opening round of the 2009 NCAA Championships. The Crimson will face the Eagles Friday, Nov. 13 in at the Newton Soccer Field in Newton, Mass.

Harvard will play Boston College Friday at 4 p.m., while Connecticut will face Boston University in the other first-round game at 7 p.m. The second round, also held at Boston College, will be on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m. 

Harvard, which enters the NCAA postseason having won eight of its last nine games, finished the regular season with a 9-6-1 overall record, going 6-1 in the Ivy League. The Crimson will be making the program’s 11th appearance in the NCAA tournament.

“We are thrilled to have once again advanced to the NCAA postseason,” said Harvard head coach Ray Leone, who is in his third season at the helm of the Crimson. “We have a monumental challenge in Boston College and are looking forward to the Friday’s matchup.”

Boston College tied for the ACC regular-season title and finished the year with a 15-3-2 record. Friday’s game will mark the second time this season that the Crimson and Eagles have met on the soccer field. On Sept. 18, Boston College topped Harvard, 4-1. Katherine Sheeleigh scored for the Crimson in that contest, marking the first goal Boston College had surrendered in seven games to that point. In the all-time series, Harvard owns a 19-10-4 advantage.

In the other portion of the bracket to be played at Boston College Friday, Boston University (14-5-2) will take on Connecticut (10-7-2), two teams that the Crimson also faced this fall.

Tickets for the games can be purchased by calling the Boston College ticket office at 617-552-4622 or by going to bceagles.com.  Tickets can be purchased prior to the games at the Newton Soccer Field.  Admission for both Friday and Sunday games will be $3 for students/youths and $7 for general admission.