CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard women's soccer earned its second consecutive win over an ACC program after securing a 2-0 result this afternoon against the NC State Wolfpack. The Crimson (4-1-1, 0-0-0 Ivy) swept the home-and-home series with NC State (1-4-2, 0-0-0 ACC) after 2-0 wins in consecutive season.
Last year it was
Ainsley Ahmadian, but today it was
Gabby DelPico who notched two goals to lead the offensive charge for the Crimson. It was DelPico's second career brace and
Anna Karpenko picked up career shutout no. 4 after the result.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Harvard and NC State met today in the second match of their home-and-home series. The Wolfpack were out looking for revenge on the Crimson, who beat the ACC foe on its home turf a year ago, 2-0.
- NCSU recorded the first shot of the game, just 11 seconds into the game, and it would be their only attempted shot for the next 15 minutes as the Harvard defense contained the Wolfpack for much of the early going.
- Harvard created a handful of early chances, one from Ólöf Kristinsdóttir who was just offsides and then another from Ava Lung, who had a shot deflected wide by the NCSU keeper.
- Play was suspended at the 21' mark due to severe weather in the area forced the teams off the field. After a 140-minute delay, the teams made their way back on the field to resume the game almost three hours after it started.
- Harvard picked up where it left off, reasserting its defensive dominance. The Crimson held possession in the attacking third for a majority of the final 25 minutes, threatening on a number of occasions.
- In the 41st minute, Gabby DelPico was awarded a penalty kick after being fouled in the box. The senior slotted a great shot into the bottom left corner of the net to beat the NCSU keeper and give the Crimson a 1-0 lead.
- The Crimson held onto the lead up to the shortened halftime break. Harvard heled possession for 63-percent (41-percent in the NCSU attacking third) of the first half and outshot the Wolfpack 6-2 in the first 45.
- The Crimson came out on the attack after the half. Kristinsdóttir recorded three shots in the first ten minutes of the second half but was off the mark.
- In the 56th minute, Josefine Hasbo put a high pass onto the foot of Hannah Bebar, who found DelPico just outside the 18. DelPico collected the ball, turned, and fired a left-footed strike that found the back of net to complete her brace and give Harvard a 2-0 lead.
- Jade Rose teed up another chance for DelPico in the 65th minute, feeding a low cross into the box. DelPico's chip shot crept just over the crossbar, missing her hat-trick goal by a small margin.
- Harvard would hold on for the rest of the contest, dominating in the defensive end in what would end as a 2-0 victory for the Crimson.
HARVARD HIGHLIGHTS
- Gabby DelPico's second career brace powered the Crimson to a 2-0 result.
- Hannah Bebar and Josefine Hasbo each recorded an assist in the contest.
- NC State only recorded two shots - both of which missed the net – and Harvard did not allow a single shot in the second half.
- Anna Karpenko added another shutout to her resume.
- Harvard fired 11 shots in the game and five shots on net.
- The Crimson also held the advantage in corner kicks (7-2) and in possession (66-percent).
UP NEXT
The Crimson will play its final two non-conference games next week. Harvard and Samford will face off on Thursday, Sept. 14 at 5:00 PM and then the Crimson will wrap up its non-conference schedule with a trip to Queens to take on the St. John's Red Storm on Sunday, Sept 17 at 1:00 PM. Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
