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Adam Poliakov
1
Harvard HARV (6-6-5, 2-3-2)
3
Winner Princeton PRI (14-1-2, 7-0-0)
Harvard HARV
(6-6-5, 2-3-2)
1
Final
3
Princeton PRI
(14-1-2, 7-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Harvard HARV 1 0 1
Princeton PRI 1 2 3

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

No. 4 Seed Men’s Soccer Battles No. 1 Seed Princeton, Falls in Ivy Semifinals, 3-1

PRINCETON, N.J. – First-year forward Adam Poliakov scored the game's opening goal in the fifth minute, but No. 4 seed Harvard University men's soccer fell to No. 1 seed and No. 3 nationally ranked Princeton University, 3-1, in the semifinals of the Ivy League Tournament on Thursday night at Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium.
 
Playing in the Ivy League Tournament for the second time in the three years of the event's existence, the Crimson (6-6-5) jumped out to the early lead behind Poliakov's goal before the Tigers (14-1-2) scored in the 44th, 48th, and 55th minutes to take the decision and advance to the tournament's final on Sunday against No. 2 seed Cornell.
 
Poliakov – the 2025 Ivy League Rookie of the Year – scored his sixth goal over his last six matches while first-year Alejandro Palacio and sophomore Tim Langenbahn each posted an assist. Senior goalkeeper Cullen MacNeil matched his career high with seven saves, and the Crimson totaled a season-high 20 shots as a team on offense.

Harvard Highlights

  • First-year forward Adam Poliakov – the 2025 Ivy League Rookie of the Year – scored a goal, marking his sixth goal over his final six games of the season. He finished the year as Harvard's leader in points (13) and goals (six) in just 10 games played. Poliakov tallied a game-high five shots against the Tigers.
  • First-year Alejandro Palacio notched an assist – his second of the season. He closed his rookie campaign with six points on two goals and two assists.
  • Sophomore center back Tim Langenbahn posted an assist – his second of the year. Langenbahn played the full 90 minutes in the game and led the Crimson in minutes played (1,451) on the season.
  • Senior goalkeeper Cullen MacNeil matched his career high with seven saves, including six saves in the first half as the two teams entered halftime tied at 1-1.
  • Among the Crimson's field players, all four members of the back line – Langenbahn, sophomore Alexander Castel, and seniors Ethan Veghte and Rustin Khosravi – all played the full 90 minutes. Castel stood second on the team in minutes played (1,412) on the year.
  • For the match, Harvard registered a season-high 20 shots, marking the first time this year that the team reached the 20-shot plateau.
  • In the second half, the Crimson led in shots (14-6) and corner kicks (6-2). 
Gallery: (11-13-2025) Men's Soccer vs. Princeton - Ivy Semis
 

How It Happened

  • The Crimson struck first in the fifth minute as Poliakov buried an early goal against a Princeton team that allowed just four goals during the regular season, including zero goals during conference play. After Langenbahn played a long ball up the field, Palacio slid a pass across the face of goal, allowing Poliakov to run onto the ball and knock a one-timed shot in the back of the net.
  • Palacio nearly doubled Harvard's lead in the 18th minute driving a bending shot towards the left side of the goal from the edge of the penalty area that required a diving save.
  • MacNeil made four of his seven saves on the night between the 21st and 24th minutes, including coming off his line to deny an attempt in the 24th minute.
  • Princeton drew level at 1-1 just before halftime as the Tigers' Giuliano Fravolini Whitchurch scored following a corner kick from Jack Jasinski.
  • The Tigers went ahead, 2-1, in the 48th minute behind a goal from Dash Papez following a corner kick from Ian Nunez.
  • Princeton netted the game's final goal to make the score 3-1 as Daniel Ittycheria converted a penalty after video review deemed that a foul in the box warranted a penalty.
  • The Crimson continued to pressure the Tigers in the game's later stages as a shot from junior Andreas Savva carried just wide of the left post in the 65th minute, junior Ben Kelly drove a dangerous shot on target in the 70th minute, and Langenbahn re-directed a corner kick in the 76th minute that challenged the keeper. 

Postgame Quotes

  • "I thought we were combative and tough. We knew they were going to be good on the ball, which is what they do. We thought that we could find some opportunities in transition, which we did. We executed really well in transition and took the lead. We were excited about that. We knew that the first phase of the game would be really challenging. I thought we managed that pretty well. As we got fatigued and Princeton imposed on us, that was where we started to struggle at the end of the first half." – Josh Shapiro, The Virginia B. and James O. Welch, Jr. '52 Head Coach for Harvard Men's Soccer
  • "I'm really excited about our younger group. I think that they're growing really well. They've grown under the mentorship of an excellent senior class that really cared. A bunch of them are still out here because they care that much. They've given everything to this program. They've mentored really well. Our young guys are growing in a really positive environment established by them. We're really excited about the future of the program. We hope to be back here playing in these one-off, knockout matches every year, and we'd like to think that we're building in that direction." – Coach Shapiro

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