Soccer Squads Fall to New England Powers

Boston College soccer Coach Ben Brewster got quite a birthday present, albert one day late, when his Eagles defeated the Harvard men's soccer team, 2-1, under the lights Saturday night at Alumni Field.

BC defender Eric Wise also got quite a birthday present, celebrating his 19th birthday two days after the fact by scoring one of the Eagle goals and setting up the other to give the victory to the home team.

As has been the case in other Crimson soccer games this season, the Harvard squad dominated the contest, at least as far as the statistics were concerned. In fact, the Crimson outshot BC, 15-7, and took 10 corner kicks compared to just two for the Eagles.

But, as Harvard defender Marty Sabelli aptly put it, "it's not enough to dominate."

And in order to enjoy the full rewards of statistical domination, you must score more goals than your opponents. Harvard did not do that Saturday night.

Although slightly disadvantaged by the playing surface--that great innovation called Astroturf which changes a soccer game into a gigantic pinball machine by creating more high bounces than on a grass surface--as well as an eat-to dinner referee, the Crimson was able to adjust to the increased speed the unfamiliar turf brought to the game.

What Harvard couldn't do was put the ball in the net.

As a result, the Crimson's record fell to 1-3 and the Cantabs must now travel to Hartwick College next Saturday to face the program from which Harvard coach Jape Shattuck got his start in collegiate coaching.

Meanwhile, in the second minute of Saturday night's contest, the Crimson started a trend which was to prove to be the pattern throughout the 90 minutes--they would attack or counterattack down the flank, make a great cross into the area, the goalkeeper would be drawn out of position, and nobody would be there to hit it home.

During one of the times when the ball was in the Crimson half of the pitch. Harvard was hurt by its own aggressiveness and a controversial call by the referee. In the 29th minute, Harvard 'keeper Matt Ginsburg, coming off his line to catch a high free kick, ran into a forward about three yards into the penalty area.

The referee immediately pointed to the spot, giving the Eagles an almost sure goal a penalty kick.

Wise, the Eagles' designated penalty taker, answered his team's call, putting the ball into the right of the net past a guessing Ginsburg.

"Before I came off my line, I looked to see if anyone was in the path of the cross" Ginsburg said. "I didn't see him until I hit him. What bothered me was that he (the referee) called that but he didn't call so many other things."

BC intensified its play after that goal, which Brewster called "the early break that we needed. The Eagles began to win most of the balls on the ground and in the air. They usually failed, however, to get shots on goal.

Yet, in the 62nd minute, the Eagles got the second goal of the game when Wise sent a free kick from the right side across the goalmouth Ginsburg punched the ball out but Eagle striker Steve Masiello, whom Ginsburg had denied first half, knocked in the rebound.

Harvard in a demonstration of poetic justice minute after Eagle back James Milton brought Crimson striker Nick Hotchkin down in the area Stopper Ian Hardington converted the the penalty Crimson within one.

Harvard back in the game due to the well deserved numerous opportunities in the last six minute of injury time but were not able to even things up.

The Crimson's chances for post season play continue and diminish knew as much after the game.

"Of course this loss hurts our chances," the Harvard mentor said after the game. "But no one's going into the playoffs with a perfect record. Good teams lose regularly in New England," he said.