Stickwomen Tie On Last Minute Tally; Torg Goal Knots Crimson With Brown

The good news is that the Harvard field hockey team didn't lose to Brown. The bad news is that it didn't beat the Bruins either. Betsy Torg scored with less than three minutes left in the game to tie Brown, 1-1, in Providence Saturday morning.

Playing the first game on their new astroturf field and coming off a tight, 1-0 loss to top-ranked UMass, the Bruins were fired up, and their defense effectively contained the Harvard attack for most of the game.

The Crimson controlled the first half, keeping the ball in Brown's end but could not put the ball in the twines. Bruin goalie Meg Stewart did a tremendous job in net, thwarting many potential Crimson scorers.

After halftime the Bruins came alive, outhustling and outshooting the Crimson for the first 25 minutes. Goalie Juliet Lamont made some fantastic saves to keep the score even at 0-0.

"It was the team's third game in a week and it's to be expected that they'd be a little flat," coach Edie MacAusland said. "In the second half, we played down to Brown's level."

With less than five minutes to play, the Bruins broke the ice. Brown got the ball on a short corner and as a mob formed in front of the Crimson net, Bruin forward Susan Kay poked the ball by Lamont.

The Brown tally brought Harvard to life and within two minutes of the Bruin conversion, the Crimson came back with one of its own. Jennifer White passed the ball from the corner to Beth Mullen, who blasted it in the direction of the Brown goal, wher Torg tipped it into the lower left hand corner.

Last Ditch

With the score even at 1-1 and three minutes left in the game, neither team was able to keep the ball in its possession. The Bruins did make on last run at the Crimson net, but sweeper Mullen intercepted a pass in front of the net and sent the ball flying upfield.

This was Harvard's third straight undefeated game and the offense, which had had difficulties earlier this season, worked well. Forward Ellen O'Neil played a particularly aggressive game, pushing the ball upfield and passing off very effectively.

The tie puts the Crimson record at 5-7-2, 2-3-1 in the Ivy League. The stickwomen next see action against Northeastern on Tuesday.

THE NOTEBOOK: Captain Maureen Finn got hit in the leg with a ball near the end of the game, but continued to play and should be fine for Tuesday's contest.... Keep your eyes open for the "Impale Yale" hats the squad will be selling to raise money for its tour of Ireland next year.