CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – After an incredible rally in its final regular season match against Yale, Harvard women's soccer will have the chance to defend its Ivy League Tournament Championship title this weekend. The Crimson (7-3-5, 3-3-1 Ivy) will travel to New Jersey to compete in the four-team knockout style bracket at Princeton University. Harvard will take on the host school Princeton (12-4-0, 6-1-0 Ivy) in the semifinal round this Friday at 4:30 PM.
 

What to Know

The Defending Champs Are Back

Harvard women's soccer has earned the chance to defend its title at the 2024 Ivy League Tournament after defeating Yale in the season finale, 3-1, to claim the final spot in the field. The fourth-seeded Crimson and the top-seeded Princeton Tigers will clash in the first round of the tournament on Friday night. The second-seeded Columbia Lions and the third-seeded Brown Bears will compete in the first semifinal match Friday afternoon. The winner of both games will advance to the Ivy League Tournament Championship match, which will be played on Sunday afternoon.
 

Why Not Us?

Harvard women's soccer clawed its way back into the Ivy League Tournament Field after a series of impressive results in the final weeks of the season. After a pair of losses to open league play, the Crimson won three of its final four games, earning enough points to qualify for the tournament. The run was highlighted by a 3-1 victory over Yale in the final week of the season, a match that was a win-or-go-home game for both sides.
 
The Crimson overcame a number of obstacles and put up magical efforts, doing what had to be done in order to return to the tournament.
 

Recapping the 2023 Ivy League Tournament

Harvard will compete in the Ivy League playoffs for the second consecutive season and defend its title in the 2024 tournament. The Crimson took home the inaugural Ivy League Tournament Championship crown after defeating the No. 3 seeded Tigers and the No. 4 seeded Lions.
 
Josefine Hasbo went on an incredible run during the tournament, scoring four goals – including a hat-trick in the championship game against Columbia – to lead Harvard to the trophy while also earning the tournament's Most Outstanding Player Award.
 

Last Time Out

With its backs against the wall in the final week of the season, Harvard performed exceptionally against Yale, defeating its Ivy League rival, 3-1. One of the team's most complete efforts of the season could not have come at a better time, as the team rolled to a 3-1 come-from-behind win against Yale.
 
First-year Lauren Muniz came up big for the Crimson in her first game back from injury, scoring the equalizing goal late in the first half before getting the primary assist on the go-ahead goal in the final minute of the opening period. Áslaug Gunnlaugsdóttir also continued her incredible offensive run, scoring a goal and notching an assist in the match. Josefine Hasbo netted the second Harvard goal, her third game-winner of the season.
 
Rhiannon Stewart also continued her solid play on the backline, making six saves and allowing just a single goal in the match.
 

Against Princeton

Harvard will meet a familiar foe in the semifinal round, the tournament's top-seed, Princeton. No strangers to one another, the sides will meet for the fourth time in the past two seasons on Friday. The Tigers took the regular season meeting on its home pitch, defeating Harvard 3-1.
 
The rivalry has been nearly even in the past nine contests, with the Crimson holding a 4-4-1 record against the foe dating back to the 2016 season. The series is also split at five wins a side in the past ten matchups in New Jersey.
 

Áslaug Gunnlaugsdóttir Nets Final Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week Award

After helping the team rally to a 3-1 win against Yale over the weekend, Harvard women's soccer senior forward, Áslaug Gunnlaugsdóttir was named the Ivy League's Offensive Player of the Week. The Iceland native scored a goal and assisted on the eventual game-winning goal in the win-or-go-home match against the Bulldogs, that put the Crimson in the Ivy League Tournament field. Gunnlaugsdóttir has been the Crimson's top scoring threat during conference play, netting a goal in all but two games during the team's Ivy League season. Her seven total goals also put her tied for the league lead with two other student-athletes.
 

In Good Company

Áslaug Gunnlaugsdóttir has been on a tear since her return from injury, scoring seven goals and recording four assists in just nine games played to take a hold of the team lead. Gunnlaugsdóttir also scored in her fourth consecutive game against Yale to become just the third Crimson student-athlete to accomplish the feat since the 2010 season.
 
The Iceland native joined a pair MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalists, Josefine Hasbo '25 and Midge Purce '16, as the only Crimson players to reach the mark.
 

A Brick Wall in Goal

Junior goalkeeper, Rhiannon Stewart, has been the rock of Harvard's defense all season long, starting and playing in all 15 games during the 2024 regular season. Stewart has posted six clean sheets on the year which are the second most in the Ivy League. Her save percentage of .828 is also the second highest in the league and currently is the highest for the Crimson since the 2019 campaign. The England native tied a career best with nine saves against the Tigers earlier this season.
 

Next Up

The Crimson will attempt to reclaim its Ivy League Crown this week and return to the NCAA Tournament for a fourth consecutive season. The 64-team national knockout tournament is set to begin next weekend with first round action ranging from Friday (Nov. 15) through Sunday (Nov. 17).