CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard women's soccer is excited to host its fourth-annual Pride Game this weekend when it plays host to the No. 20 Pepperdine Waves at Jordan Field. The Crimson (3-0-1, 0-0-0 Ivy) will puts its unbeaten record on the line when it takes on its toughest challenge of the season against the Waves (4-2-1, 0-0-0 WCC).
 
The program's fourth annual pride game will be hosted in coordination with Harvard's award-winning Athlete Ally Chapter that works to end homophobia and transphobia in sport and to activate the Harvard athletic community to exercise their leadership to champion LGBTQI+ equality.
 
Starting Strong

• Harvard is off to a strong start its 2024 campaign, posting three wins and a draw in its first four matches. The wins came in the season opener against Marshall (Aug. 26), Northeastern (Sep. 2) and Boston University (Sep. 5) with the draw coming against UMass.
• The Crimson has not conceded a single goal over the four-game stretch, posting four consecutive clean sheets while outscoring opponents 6-0.
• Goalkeeper, Rhiannon Stewart, recorded the shutouts in all four games and went down as the first three of her career.

 
In the Rankings

• Harvard is one of only three teams in the nation that has not allowed a goal in 2024.
• The Crimson is averaging 17.5 shots per games, which ranks atop the Ivy League.
• Rhiannon Stewart is tied with six other keepers for the NCAA lead with a 0.00 GAA/ 1.000 save percentage and is tied for fifth in the nation with her four shutouts. 

 
Historically Speaking

• Harvard has recorded four consecutive shutouts to start the season for the fourth time in program history and for the first time since 1995. The record was set by the 1987 squad that recorded seven consecutive shutouts to begin its season. 

 
The Matchup

• Harvard and Pepperdine will square off for the second time in the series history on Sunday. The teams battled to a 1-1 draw in the first meeting last year in Malibu.
• Pepperdine comes into the match riding high off a pair of back-to-back ranked wins. The Waves first upset the No. 3 ranked UCLA Bruins, 1-0, on Sunday before defeating the No. 23 Georgetown Hoyas, 2-1 on the road on Thursday.
• The Waves are currently being outscored by its opponents, 8-10, but the team's defense is beginning to click, allowing only two goals in the past three contests.
• Offensively, Pepperdine has been getting contributions from a number of different players and is led by Redshirt Junior, Tabitha LaParl, who owns two goals and an assist in 2024.
• In the net, Jillian Medvecky has led the way thus far, starting four games and leading the team to three wins. The first-year keeper boasts a save percentage of .818 and a GAA 0f .89 in 405 minutes played this season.

 
Defending Jordan Field

• At home last season, the Crimson registered a 6-1-1 record and holds a 32-8-2 mark since 2018. Harvard won its first home fixture in 2024 with a 1-0 result over Marshall.
• The Harvard offense has lit up the scoreboard at Jordan Field since the 2018 season, outscoring opponents 67-21 on its home turf. In the last 12 matchups, Harvard owns a 35-7 advantage over its opponents and that increases to a 48-10 advantage in the last 18 contests.

 
Preseason Award and Accolades

• The Crimson landed in the top spot on the Ivy League Preseason media poll, taking first place with 120 votes and 10 first-place votes.
• Josefine Hasbo and Jade Rose were named to the Midfielder and Defenders to watch lists, respectively, by the United Soccer Coaches.
• The duo also landed on the annual Top Drawer Soccer Preseason Top 100 player list last week ahead of their senior seasons. Josie claimed the No. 27 spot while Jade was ranked at 62nd on the list.
• Harvard came in to the 2024 season ranked No. 19 in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer. Harvard was ranked as high as No. 17 in the poll a year ago.
• Harvard women's soccer was recently ranked inside Soccer Wire's National Top 50 Programs over the past five seasons. The Crimson came in at No. 46 on the list that takes into account national rankings and achievements dating back to the start of the 2020 season. The recognition is a testament to the rapid growth the program has experience under Coach Hamblin and his staff, who are seeking its fourth-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024. 

 
Up Next
Harvard women's soccer will hit the road next week as it travels to the Midwest for a pair of fixtures at Milwaukee (Sep. 12) and Northwestern (Sep. 15). The game times are set for 8:00 PM and 2:00 PM EST respectively. The match against Milwaukee will air on ESPN+ and the match against Northwestern will be available on the B1G Network.
 
About Athlete Ally
Sports remains one of the greatest socialization mechanisms in the world — it communicates values without relying on any one language, and its most successful participants are known and respected globally. And yet, an entire community of people remain systematically excluded from sport.
 
Athlete Ally believes that everyone should have equal access, opportunity, and experience in sports — regardless of your sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Our mission is to end homophobia and transphobia in sport and to activate the athletic community to exercise their leadership to champion LGBTQI+ equality.