Stickwomen Close Out So-So Season

Any seanson that includes a victory over Yale and a trip to the playoffs cannot be called a failure. Any season that includes a four game losing streack and ends with a 5-7-2 mark cannot be called a success.

The field hockey team this year overall had a pretty mediocre season. There were difinitely some bright spots and some games where the squad played brilliantly, but there were also games like the Springfield loss where the stickwomen just could not get things together.

Throughout the fall, the squad had difficulties scoring. Junior Kate Martin, who was responsible for almost half of the Crimson's 22 golas, was the team's only consistent scorer.

"We tried to do too many things in front of net," explained forward Lili Pew. "There was too much passing and not enough shooting.

The squad opened the season amid high expectations, with Coach Edie MacAusland calling it the finest she's had since coming here three years ago. With the addition of freshmen Ellen O'Neil. Andrea Mainelli and Pat Constantikes. and most of last year's squad returning, the team seemed certain to succeed.

The stickwomen opened the season by tying Bowdoin. 2-2, in a contest they should have won. Their next game was a 3-0 loss to UNH and although the team played well, it could not match last year's performance when it almost upset the Wildeats.

Still looking for their victory, the stickwomen ficed a very strong UPenn squad. The Crimson defense played brilliantly. but the squad's chronic inability to score allowed the Quakers to leave Cambridge with a 1-0 victory.

The team finally picked up a win against Bentley College, but the squad nearly always beats local non-league teams. Kate Martin had an outstanding game, scoring two goals and leading the offense.

Just when it looked like things were going to turn around, the team had to face Providence college, ranked first in this year's EAIAW play-offs. On a cold rainy afternoon, the stickwomen played one of their most frustrating games. They outshot the Friars 10-6 but ended up on the short end of a 3-1 score.

Harvard regrouped and played two of its finest games against B.C. and Cornell, winning both. Beth Mullen really made herself known in front of the Crimson net, intercepting passes and using her strong hits to send the ball flying up the field.

Then came the Springfield game and the beginning of a four game losing streak which would have to be called the low point of the season. Scoring may have been difficult for the team before the slump-but it became a near impossibility as the stick-women converted only once in their next three games.

The squad rediscovered its offense in a rain-drenched contest with URI before it headed down to New Haven to face last year's Ivy champs, the Ellis. Everything clicked against Yale. Sara LeBlond, Maureen Finn, and goalie Juliet Lamont kept Yale from the Crimson twines while Betsy Torg scored the only goal of the game.

Unfortunately, it was downhill after the Yale victory. Harvard played a rather uninspired game against Brown and was lucky to come away with a 1-1 tie. But it was enough to insure the Crimson a spot in the EAIAW playoffs in Hanover where the stickwomen lost to a superior Dartmouth squad.

The outlook for next year is good. Although seniors Sara LeBlond. Tania Huber, and Ann MacMillan will graduate this June, everyone else, including Captain Maureen Finn, will be returning.

The individual talent is there. The defense has been the team's strength, and once the offense gets a bit more experience, the team should have more than another so-so season.