Krnjaic Propels Women's Soccer to 3-2 Win over Harvard

Saturday, October 30

Hanover, N.H.

4:00 PM

Dartmouth College

HARVARD

Krnjaic Propels Women's Soccer to 3-2 Win over Harvard

10/30/2010 9:12:00 PM | Women's Soccer

By: Dartmouth

Senior Melisa Krnjaic (Washington, D.C.) and the class of 2011 celebrated senior day and Homecoming in style as the women's soccer team took a 3-2 victory over rival Harvard.

Krnjaic led a tremendous team effort to give Dartmouth (6-7-2, 3-2-1 Ivy) a critical victory over the Crimson (7-7-1, 3-3 Ivy). Despite the win, because Penn (first place, 13 points) and Princeton (second place, 12 points) both won in overtime tonight and play next weekend, Dartmouth (third place, 10 points) will be unable to capture a share of the Ivy Championship. The Big Green can still finish second in the League standings.

"This was a must win game which you could see from both teams," said head coach Angie Hind. "I was happy at halftime with the 2-1 lead but we wanted another goal. We rode a lot of pressure from Harvard in the final 20 minutes so I'm delighted that we won."

Krnjaic scored two goals and rookie Chrissy Lozier (Fairfield, Conn.) scored in her second straight Ivy League game to keep Dartmouth unbeaten in its last four games and on a three-game winning streak.

"I knew we were a young team and we've had injuries but now our team is beginning to have an identity," said Hind. "They know each other and what they're capable of and we just want to win out and see where it takes us."

Harvard held a slight 8-7 advantage in shots and a staggering 12-1 advantage in corner kicks. Dartmouth allowed just one goal off a corner.

Lozier opened scoring on the day with a beautiful goal in the ninth minute of play. Senior Peyton Tata (Virginia Beach, Va.) sent a cross over to rookie Marina Moschitto (Andover, Mass.). Moschitto one-timed it to Lozier who fired a shot past Harvard's Alexandra Millett in the box.

Harvard answered right back, however, with a goal in the 12th minute when Katherine Sheeleigh picked up a pass from Alexandra Conigliara and juked around Dartmouth keeper Colleen Hogan (Houston, Texas). Sheeleigh did not give up on the play and was rewarded with a goal to the lower left corner.

The Big Green would not be kept down and got the lead back in the 30th minute of play when Krnjaic scored her first of the game . Sophomore Kim Rose (Seaford, N.Y.) sent a high cross into the box and Krnjaic flicked the ball up off the ground andpast Millett for the 2-1 lead.

Krnajic got the game-winning goal in the second half, striking with another heady play in thr 60th. Moschitto played the ball to Krnjaic in the box and the senior one-timed it but Millett nicked it and fell. Krnjaic kept the play alive and simply knocked the ball into the open goal to put her team up 3-1. Krnjaic has scored four goals and tallied one assist in the last three games.

Harvard made things interesting for the final 20 minutes, desparately pushing for the tying goal. The Big Green's defense kept its composure and Hogan made perhaps the game-preserving save in 76th minue when she stopped a point-blank rocket from Conigliaro. Harvard did managed to get one more on the board when Price scored with a header in a crowded box off a Conigliaro corner in the 79th minute.

Dartmouth withstood Harvard's pressure and Aly O'Dea (Irvine, Calif.) nearly gave the Green a two-goal lead in the 81st with a long ball just punched out by Millet. It would not be needed, however, as the defense kept the Crimson at bay capped with a great tackle by Aurelia Solomon (Washington, D.C.) to stop a Harvard breakaway in the final seconds.

Hogan finished with three saves for the win.

The Big Green heads to Cornell to close out the regular season next Saturday, Nov. 6.