Stickwomen Impressive Despite 3-1 Setback

You'd think the Harvard field hockey squad would be as excited about a loss as James Watt would be about a Beach Boys concert.

But if ever a loss showed that a team is on the verge of becoming good--in fact, very good--it occurred as the University of New Hampshire pinned a 3-1 defeat on the young Harvard squad yesterday at Soldiers Field.

Less than a week after the Cantabs suffered their worst defeat in three years, they came back to play their finest hockey of the year. And they did it against one of the finest teams in the country.

Nevertheless, UNH showed why it is the class of New England field hockey, killing the Crimson's upset hopes with an equally strong performance.

The perenially tough Wildcats raised their record to 5-1 with the win, while the Crimson's fell to 1-2. But not even Harvard's second loss of the still-young season could dampen Crimson spirits.

"We're on our way," Crimson Coach Edie Mabrey said. "If we continue to play as well as we did today, we'll be fine."

For in yesterday's loss, the Crimson outshot, outhustled and completely outplayed the bigger and stronger Wildcats. Take away the Crimson's two concentration lapses in the game's first few moments and yesterday's loss becomes yesterday's win.

Those two letdowns-which resulted in two quick UNH scores-were all the Wildcats needed to put Harvard on the defensive for the rest of the afternoon Down 2-0 with less than five minutes gone in the game. Harvard seemed headed for a shellacking similar to the one it suffered at the hands of Northwestern last Saturday

Using a quick give-and-go offense. UNH caught Harvard napping with just 45 seconds gone in the game. The Wildcats' Mary Rogers took the ball from teammate Mary Ellen Cullinane and weaved through the Crimson defense before depositing the ball past Harvard netminder Juliet Lamont for UNH's first-score.

Just two minutes later Wildcat Laurie Leary did the same, beating numerous Crimson defenders to put UNH up by two.

"You can't have letdowns like we did in the first few minutes and expect to win," Mabrey said. "You've got to play the full 70 minutes."

For the last 65 minutes yesterday, however, Harvard did play like a winner. Led by center back Ellen O'Neill, who is quickly developing into the Crimson's brightest new star and forward Andy Mainelli, the locals controlled the remainder of the game. Picking up loose ground balls and providing plenty of work for UNH goalie Robin Balducci, the Crimson seemed ready to break out of its early-season scoring slump

But Balducci stifled numerous Crimson attacks, until Harvard sophomore Landa Runyon squeaked a goal past the Wildcat goalie with just 1:15 left to avoid the shutout.

"We completely dominated the game after they capitalized on our mistakes," O'Neill said "At least we learned that we can control a game"

THE NOTE BOOK Harvard has now given up 11 goals in three games The squad gave up only 10 goals all last season. The stick women have already lost as many games this year as they did all last year, when they went 11-2-3. The squad returns to action Tuesday at Northeastern