Pictured: The Crimson women's soccer team will face
seventh-ranked Boston College Friday afternoon at 4 p.m.
Photo courtesy: David Silverman Photography
Live Statistics
Complete
Postseason Media Guide (PDF)
Harvard
Wins Ninth Ivy League Title
Baskind
Named Ivy League Player of the Week
NCAA
Bracket
The Games:
Harvard opens the 2009 NCAA tournament by facing No. 7 Boston
College, a two-seed, Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. In the other
first-round matchup, Connecticut will face Boston University at 7
p.m. The second-round game will be held Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Coverage:
GoCrimson.com will provide live statistics for this weekend’s NCAA
matchups.
How They Got Here:
Harvard won the Ivy League championship, earning the
conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. This is
the Crimson’s second straight appearance in the NCAA
postseason.
Boston College, a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, earned
an at-large big to the NCAA tournament, as did Connecticut of the
Big East Conference.
Boston University won the America East tournament, defeating
Binghamton, 4-0, Nov. 7.
Tickets:
Ticket prices for this weekend’s games are $7 for adults and
$3 for students and children.
The Matchups:
The Crimson, winner of eight of its last nine games, has reached
the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive season after winning
its second Ivy League title in as many years. Harvard will face
seventh-ranked Boston College, who defeated the Crimson, 4-1, back
on Sept. 18 in Newton, Mass. Katherine Sheeleigh netted the lone
Crimson goal in the game, while goalkeeper Lauren Mann stopped 12
shots.
Connecticut and Boston University met on Sept. 19, with the
Huskies taking a 1-0 overtime decision. Harvard lost at
Connecticut, 3-1, Sept. 5, and fell to Boston University, 1-0, on
the Fox Soccer Channel on Sept. 20.
Series History:
Harvard and Boston College have met 33 times on the soccer field,
with the Crimson owning a 19-10-4 advantage in the all-time series
which began in 1977. After winning three straight games from
2000-02, Harvard is 0-3-1 in its last four contests against the
Eagles. During the 1999 NCAA tournament, Harvard was upset by
Boston College in the opening round, falling to the Eagles by a
score of 1-0.
Connecticut has taken six of the last seven games against Harvard,
taking a 24-4-1 advantage in the series. Harvard stands at 0-2 in
NCAA postseason play against the Huskies, having lost to
Connecticut in 2001 and 2004. Even though the Crimson fell at
Boston University earlier this season, Harvard boasts a 12-2-3 lead
in all-time games against the Terriers.
Harvard in the NCAA Tournament:
The Crimson has now qualified for the NCAA tournament 12 times,
the last being in 2008. Harvard owns an 8-10-1 record all-time in
the tournament. The Crimson has reached the quarterfinal round
three times.
Finishing Strong:
After starting the year with a 1-5-1 record, Harvard has won eight
of its last nine games entering posteason play. The Crimson enjoyed
a six-game win streak from Sept. 26-Oct. 20, and has won the last
two games, defeating Dartmouth and Columbia to clinch the ninth Ivy
League title in program history.
Around The Tourney:
Four of Harvard’s 17 opponents this season are among the 64
teams in this year’s NCAA tournament. The Crimson posted a
0-3-1 record against these four opponents, having tied San Diego
State, 1-1, to start the season. Harvard dropped its matchups
against Boston College, Boston University and Connecticut.
About Harvard:
The Crimson won its ninth Ivy League title after posting a 6-1
conference record, its best conference mark since the 1999 season.
Harvard is also trying to reach the 10-win plateau for the third
straight season, having won 10 games in 2007 and another 10 in
2008.
Last time out, sophomore Melanie Baskind scored two goals,
including the game winner in overtime as Harvard topped Columbia,
2-1, to clinch the outright Ivy League title. Senior Lauren Mann
played all 95:08 in goal, making four saves.
With 21 points on eight goals and five assists, junior Katherine
Sheeleigh is Harvard’s leading scorer. She also paces the
team with four game-winning tallies and has a team-high 69 shots,
including 28 on goal. Baskind ranks first on the team with six
assists, while standing second with four goals, including two
game-winning tallies, and 14 points. Harvard’s over multiple
goal scorers are junior Gina Wideroff, sophomore Patricia Yau,
senior Lizzy Nichols, freshman Caroline Ablanese and senior
Christina Hagner.
Mann has started all 16 games in net and is 9-6-1 with three
shutouts. She owns a 1.36 goals-against average and has stopped 59
of 81 shots faced for a .728 save percentage in over 1,450 minutes
of action.
Harvard holds a 25-22 advantage against opponents in goals scored,
including a 2-0 margin in overtime. The Crimson is outshooting
opponents, 237-222, and has 10 more corner kicks, 91-81.
Players to Watch – Boston College:
Victoria DiMartino is the Eagles’ top offensive producer,
amassing 14 goals and four assists for 32 points. She also has
notched six game-winning tallies to lead the squad. Boston College
boasts six other players with double digits in points, including
Gina DiMartino (seven goals, six assists), Brooke Knowlton (seven
goals, three assists), Kristen Mewis (five goals, six assists),
Julia Bouchelle (four goals, six assists), Hannah Cerrone (two
goals, nine assists) and Amy Caldwell (three goals, four
assists).
Jillian Mastroianni has recorded 11 shutouts, while boasting a
15-3-2 record. She sports a 0.49 goals-against average, while
owning a save percentage of .846 (55 of 65). Boston College has
outscored teams, 50-10, including 24-4 in the first half. The
Eagles have also been dominant in earning corner kicks, 140-55.
Players to Watch – Boston University:
With seven goals and six assists for 20 points, Farrell McClernon
is tied with Jessica Luscinski (six goals, eight assists) for the
team lead in points. Emily Pallotta (eight goals, three assists) is
a close third with 19 points, while Megan McGoldrick has also had
the scoring touch, netting five goals and handing out four assists.
McClernon has a team-best four game-winning tallies.
Between the pipes, Janie Reilly has seen most of the action, going
13-4 with eight clean sheets and a 0.51 goals-against average. She
has allowed only eight goals in more than 1,580 minutes. The
Terriers have scored more than three times as many goals as
opponents, 43-14, and have a large edge in corner kicks earned,
138-60.
Players to Watch – Connecticut:
The trio of Linda Ruutu (eight goals, four assists), Melissa
Busque (six goals, six assists) and Jessica Shufelt (three goals,
four assists) lead Connecticut’s scoring attack. Busque and
Ruutu have combined for seven of Connecticut’s 10
game-winning tallies, as Ruutu has netted four and Busque has
notched three.
Jessica Dulski has five shutouts this season, posting a 9-7-1
overall reecord, while sporting a 1.11 goals-against average. The
Huskies have outscored teams by a 31-24 margin, including an 18-9
edge in the first half.
All CLASS:
Harvard co-captain Lizzy Nichols is one of 10 finalists for the
prestigious Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award for displaying both
on-field and off-field excellence. Nichols is a three-time All-Ivy
League selection, a double concentrator in history and literature
and history of art and architecture and has been named to the
Academic All-Ivy League and Academic All-District teams twice. In
addition, she has worked with Habitat for Humanity and the
Goals4Leaders program.
Success In The Classroom:
Senior co-captain Lizzy Nichols was named to the ESPN The Magazine
Academic All-District first team, while junior Katherine Sheeleigh
and sophomore Melanie Baskind garnered selections to the ESPN The
Magazine Academic All-District third team.
Ivy League Soccer Goes Crimson:
For the first time since 1996, Harvard men’s and
women’s soccer have a chance to both capture Ivy League
titles. A win by the Crimson men Saturday afternoon against Penn at
Ohiri Field would clinch the conference championship. The last time
both programs were in the NCAA tournament in the same season was
2008.
When The Game’s On The Line:
Katherine Sheeleigh paces the Crimson with four game-winning
tallies. Melanie Baskind stands second with two game winners, while
Lizzy Nichols, Taryn Kurcz and Caroline Kutler have netted one
apeice.
Crimson Atop the Ivy League:
Katherine Sheeleigh led the Ancient Eight with 59 shots and ranked
third with 21 points and fourth with eight goals. Sheeleigh was
also second with four game-winning tallies to her credit. Melanie
Baskind stood tied for second in the conference with six assists.
Lauren Mann was third with 59 saves, while ranking seveng with a
1.36 goals-against average.
Rookie Dominance:
Crimson players have won the three of the last four Ivy League
Rookie of the Year awards. Senior Lauren Mann won the award in
2006, junior Katherine Sheeleigh was so honored in 2007 and
sophomore Melanie Baskind took home the award last season.
Harvard In The Bay State:
Harvard owns a 6-4-1 record in games played in Massachusetts this
season. The Crimson posted a 6-2-1 record at home at Ohiri Field
and Cumnock Turf and was 0-2 in road games in the Bay State,
playing at Boston College and Boston University during the regular
season.
Crimson Readies for NCAA First Round Matchup with No. 2 Seed Boston College
Nov 11, 2009
PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP, ACADEMIC INTEGRATION AND COMPETITIVE EXCELLENCE