FORT WORTH, Texas – After a 90-minute battle on the pitch, the No. 16/22 Harvard women's soccer team (6-0-1, 0-0 Ivy) earned a hard-fought tie at No. 17 Texas Christian (5-2-3, 0-0 Big 12). The Crimson got two goals from sophomore Aslaug Gunnlaugsdottir but could not find the game-winner as the match ended 2-2.
 
Hannah Gardner and Anna Karpenko both played solid in net, combining for five saves in the contest.
 

HOW IT HAPPENED

Harvard opened up aggressive, hoping to attack the TCU backline in the offensive third. Ainsley Ahmadian recorded the first shot in the contest, but the Horned Frogs countered with the first shot on net in the fifth minute that was saved by Gardner. TCU continued the attack and found a goal six minutes into the action. Hannah Gardner was able to fight off one shot, but wasn't able to clean up the rebound as the Horned Frogs took a 1-0 lead.  
 
Hannah Bebar had a great look 12' in, breaking past the backline for a one-on-one with the TCU goalkeeper. Bebar's attempt was turned aside to keep the score at 1-0.
 
It was a defensive showdown for much of the first half, as the team's traded takeaways throughout the period. Crimson center backs, Jade Rose and Lara Schenk, led the effort on the defense, helping hold the Horned Frogs to just four shot attempts in the first half.
 
With time winding down in the first half, Harvard continued the offensive pressure. Rushing up the sideline, Aslaug Gunnlaugsdottir fired a shot from outside the 18 that found the back of the net. The rocket shot from Gunnlaugsdottir evened the score as Harvard went into the half with the score tied at one goal apiece.
 
Both teams came out of the break looking towards the goal as the squads combined for five shots in the first eight minutes of play. TCU didn't land any shots on net, but Bebar again was narrowly denied by the keeper at 53'. Yet again it was Gunnlaugsdottir, making a great play on the ball and finding space in the attacking third. After corralling the ball at the edge of the offensive third, the sophomore split her defenders and scored her second goal of the game from 18 yards out to put Harvard up 2-1.
 
Anna Karpenko entered the game at halftime to take over in goal, stepping up to make a save and preserve the lead 59' into the action. After a flurry of Crimson shots, TCU was able to battle its way down the field and net the equalizer in the 71^st minute.
 
Harvard put three more shots on net in the second half – with one hitting the post - but the game-winner could not be found. Karpenko would be called on to make two more saves late in the contest, one in the 88^th minute, to hold off the Horned Frogs. After the full 90 minutes, the game would end in a 2-2 tie.
 
Harvard remains unbeaten with the result, moving to 6-0-1 on the year heading into Ivy League play next weekend.
 

GAME NOTES

• Aslaug Gunnlaugsdottir scored both Crimson goals, her second and third tallies of the season, to extend her point streak to three games
• Hannah Gardner (two) and Anna Karpenko (three) combined to make five saves
• Harvard outshot the Horned Frogs 17-12 and 9-8 in shots on goal
• Hannah Bebar led the team with seven shot attempts, four of which were on goal
• Bebar also had a shot rattle off the cross bar in the second half
• Bebar, Josefine Hasbo, Jade Rose and Lara Schenk all played the full 90 minutes
• Smith Hunter proved to be a key defender in the contest, battling on the defensive wing to slow down the TCU attack
• Angela Caloia recorded an assist on the second Gunnlaugsdottir goal, extending her point streak to three games
• The Crimson, at this moment, remains one of only 26 unbeaten teams in Division I

 

UP NEXT

The Crimson will have the week to prepare for its Ivy League opener next weekend at Penn. Harvard and the Quakers will square off on Saturday, September 24 at 2 PM in Philadelphia.