Cambridge, Mass.  – The Long Island University(w) women’s soccer team erased an early two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 tie against Harvard, on Friday afternoon at Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium. The start time of the game was moved to the early afternoon due to the anticipated inclement weather from Hurricane Earl. LIU moved to 2-1-1 on the season.

Long Island, which held a 22-13 advantage in shots for the game, was finally able to solve the Harvard defense with back-to-back goals with just under 15 minutes left in regulation. Sophomore Nikki Labo (Aurora, Colo.) scored her second goal in three games when she buried a header off a corner kick from junior Sarah Laughlin (Plano, Texas) to cut the deficit in half at the 74:45 mark.

LIU drew level just over a minute later when senior Kayleigh Morgan (Harlow, England) slipped a pass through the defense that sprung junior Toni Smith (Rainham, England) free for a shot that she planted in the top left corner of the goal to knot the game at 2-2. The Blackbirds nearly ended the game in regulation, but senior Caitlin Meadows (Brookdale, Calif.) saw her shot rattle the crossbar. Both goalkeepers made a pair of saves in the overtimes to keep the score deadlocked.

The Crimson got off to a fast start when they scored on their first shot of the contest. Peyton Johnson took a pass from Patricia Yau outside the left side of the 18-yard box and put her shot into the back of the net for 1-0 lead in the sixth minute. Harvard added to the lead exactly 10 minutes later when Johnson sent a long ball ahead to Katherine Sheeleigh, who subsequently delivered a cross that was finished off by Melanie Baskind for a 2-0 lead.

Freshman Jessica Sexton (Rochester, N.Y.) came on at halftime and made five saves for the Blackbirds in the second half and overtime periods. Alexandra Millet finished with eight saves for the Crimson. LIU had a 9-7 edge in corner kicks on the afternoon.

The Blackbirds play their first home contest of the season against Longwood on Sunday, Sept. 5, at Noon.