Laxwomen Finish 2-1 Over Spring Break

The Harvard women's lacrosse team opened its 1985-'86 campaign by posting a 2-1 mark over the spring recess, knocking off Ivy foes Penn and Princeton while falling to perennial national powerhouse Temple.

Kelly McBride, a junior attacker, scored four goals to spur the Crimson past Penn, 13-12, in its season opener March 22.

Three sophomores--attackers Kate Felsen and Leelee Groome and defenseman Liz Faecher--all tallied twice for Harvard, the five-time defending Ivy League champion, which built up a 9-5 lead at the half.

"We were more nervous than we should have been," McBride said. "We were ahead throughout the entire game and the difference probably should have been greater than it actually was."

Also standing out in the victory over the Quakers were Co-Captains Blair Wardenburg, who recorded three assists, and Genie Simmons, who led the laxwomens' defensive unit by picking up numerous turnovers and controlling several key ground ball situations.

"Blair is our calming force on offense," Assistant Coach Sherry Valicenti said. "She is very poised, and she sets up most of our plays."

Freshman goalie Kelly Dermody turned away 12 of 24 Penn shots for a 50 percent save average.

"We were ahead by a lot and then started to play down to their level," Coach Carole Kleinfelder said. "We played not to lose rather than to win, and that's just because we're still young, and we were a little nervous."

In its second match-up of the young spring, the Crimson fell to Temple, 14-9, on March 27. Wardenburg and McBride teamed up for half of Harvard's goals in that contest, recording three and four respectively.

The Owls, currently ranked second in the nation, controlled the action, taking a 9-4 halftime lead before the two squads played to an even 5-5 second half.

"We actually played a better first half," Valicenti said. "We were very sloppy and a bit intimidated. It was also a very physical game which isn't the kind of lacrosse we like to play."

The laxwomen got back on the winning track, easily dumping Princeton, 14-7, in their Saturday afternoon home opener. Felson netted four goals for the Crimson, Faecher three, and Groome, junior Alyce Wright, and sophomore Anne Needham two each.

"We played more like the Harvard we know," Valicenti said. "It was more clean [than the Temple contest]--we had much better passing, and the defense played well. This is a good win in the Ivies for us."

Simmons and McBride were once again spectacular on defense, while Dermody registered nine saves.