CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – On a rainy Sunday afternoon in New Hampshire, Harvard women's soccer (5-2-1) delivered a dominant performance, cruising past the Wildcats (3-3-2), 6-0, for its fourth straight victory.
Six different Harvard players found the back of the net as the Crimson matched its highest single-match goal total of the season and posted its second consecutive clean sheet. Harvard put 15 of its 22 shots on target, held a 13-4 advantage in corner kicks and limited UNH to just two shots on goal.
How it Happened
- Ólöf Kristinsdóttir wasted no time extending her goal-scoring streak to four games. Just 1:48 into the contest, Brooke Huleatt and Susie Long combined to set up Kristinsdóttir for her sixth goal of the season and an early 1-0 lead.
- Harvard doubled its advantage less than six minutes later. After Lou Ruffien forced a save and the Crimson earned another corner, Ruffien finished the attacking sequence in the eighth minute for her first collegiate goal, with Anya Van Den Einde earning the assist.
- Huleatt kept the pressure on with a pair of dangerous first-half chances, forcing UNH goalkeeper Sonja Zeepvat into saves as Harvard controlled the run of play.
- Nicole Bidun preserved the shutout with a save on Natalie Zibinskas in the 34th minute, one of only two shots on target the Wildcats produced all afternoon.
- Molly Vana provided the finishing touch to a commanding first half in the 43rd minute, converting a Lauren Muniz assist for her third goal of the season and sending Harvard into halftime with a 3-0 lead.
- The first-half numbers reflected Harvard's control: the Crimson outshot UNH 14-5, put 10 attempts on target to the Wildcats' one and held 67 percent of the possession.
- Olivia Busby replaced Bidun at halftime and was tested quickly, turning aside Elizabeth Finn's shot in the 49th minute to keep the clean sheet intact.
- The Crimson struck again in the 53rd minute when Huleatt picked out Anna Rayhill, who finished for her second goal of the season and Harvard's fourth of the afternoon.
- Just 2:26 later, Rayhill returned the favor, setting up Huleatt for her fifth goal of the season and a commanding 5-0 advantage.
- Sarah Lloyd capped the scoring in the 65th minute, finishing a move created by Vana and Santos López for the first goal of her collegiate career.
- UNH continued to push late, but Harvard's defense held firm through a flurry of second-half attempts to complete the 6-0 clean sheet.
Harvard Highlights
- Brooke Huleatt powered the attack with a goal and two assists, raising her season point total to 15.
- Ólöf Kristinsdóttir scored just 1:48 into the match for her team-leading sixth goal of the season and has now found the net in four straight contests.
- Lou Ruffien and Sarah Lloyd each scored the first goals of their collegiate careers in the victory.
- Anna Rayhill opened the second-half scoring in the 53rd minute with her second goal of the season, then assisted Huleatt just over two minutes later.
- Harvard's eight assists came from seven players: Huleatt had two, while Rayhill, Vana, Susie Long, Elsa Santos López, Anya Van Den Einde and Lauren Muniz each added one.
- Sophie Fleishman made her collegiate debut in the 77th minute. The sophomore joined Nicole Bidun and Olivia Busby in goal as the trio combined for Harvard's second straight clean sheet.
- The Crimson outshot the Wildcats, 22-16, and held a commanding 15-2 advantage in shots on goal.
- Harvard also controlled the set-piece battle, earning 13 corner kicks to UNH's four.
- Since dropping its first two matches of the season, the Crimson has gone unbeaten in six straight at 5-0-1. Harvard has scored 19 goals over that stretch while conceding just five.
Next Up
The Crimson returns home to face UConn on Sunday, September 20 at 1:00 p.m. ET in its final non-conference match.
