Kwaku Nyamekye has spent much of his Harvard soccer career as an unsung hero, helping to cement the Crimson back line during the last four years. “For a defender to get recognition is a tough thing in soccer,” Harvard coach Jamie Clark said. “Shutouts are associated with goal keepers, and goals are associated with forwards. Defenders often don’t get the recognition they deserve.” But this weekend, in a pivotal game against No. 21 Dartmouth (8-5-1, 3-2 Ivy), Nyamekye exploded into the spotlight, scoring an early goal for the No. 16 Crimson (11-3-1, 3-1-1) and making a goal-line save to protect the Harvard victory over the Big Green.

The Dartmouth men’s soccer team (8-5-1, 3-2 Ivy) came to Cambridge on a mission to reassert itself as the Ivy League’s top team after entering into a tie with Brown following last week’s loss to Columbia. Accompanied by a legion of costumed fans, the No. 21 Big Green came from New Hampshire hoping to beat No. 14 Harvard (11-3-1, 3-1-1) on its home field on Saturday.

The “hard-fought game,” as sports fans tend to visualize it, takes place in the rain, on a muddy field. It’s fierce and physical with star players getting knocked around and fans heckling the refs and opposing players. The two teams relentlessly attack each other’s goal, often to no avail, until the very last second. One play, quick and unexpected, decides the game. The Harvard women’s soccer team’s (7-6-1, 4-1 Ivy) 1-0 loss to Princeton (6-6-3, 2-2-1 Ivy) on Saturday at Ohiri Field had all of these features. The deciding tally came from Tiger freshman Jen Hoy, who scored with less than five minutes to play.

In the Crimson’s mid-week matchup against Providence, Harvard was able to claim victory anyway, but against Princeton (7-5-2, 2-2) on Saturday, the setback was more costly. No. 9 Harvard (10-3-1, 2-1-1 Ivy) could not score again in regulation and surrendered the game-winning goal in the second overtime to lose to the Tigers, 2-1.