Stickwomen Break Bulldog Jinx, 2-1

The Harvard field hockey team wound up its season by edging out Yale, 2-1, at Soldier's Field yesterday. The win broke the team's six-year winless streak against the Bulldogs.

Yale netted its only goal of the game in the first seven minutes of play when Allison Stack scored after a pretty combination of passes down the left side of its attack.

"We were moving in slow motion at that point and were taken by their four quick passes," Harvard Co-Captain Katie McAnaney said. "Still, we weren't worried about it and managed to overcome our jinx."

Yale's offense was subsequently held in check, managing only eight more shots on Harvard goalie Denise Katsias.

The Crimson tied the game with 12 minutes left in the first half on a penalty stroke taken by junior Char Joslin.

Although the Crimson dominated play throughout the game, the team was subsequently stopped by Yale goalie Sue Sabatino. Despite sloppy, wet conditions, Sabatino came up with 39 saves, keeping the score close.

"[Sabatino] played the angles well," Harvard Coach Sue Caples said, "but she was lucky on six or seven post saves that could have gone in if we'd had that second move to get by her quicker."

Harvard drew 30 penalty corners in the game but it was only able to execute successfully on the one that provided the game-winning goal. With eight minutes remaining in the game, freshman Ceci Clark scored on a blast from inside the circle following a corner play set up by Erin O'Brien and Joslin.

"This game was like our entire season," McAnaney said. "We had lots of chances, but this time the outcome was in our favor."

The Crimson showed the experience it had gained from previous close losses by hanging tough in the closing minutes of play. Yale's last gasp with three minutes to play, brought about by several poor Harvard passes in its defensive end, fell short when the Crimson finally got control of the ball and forced it out of its end of the field.

"I've been waiting for four years for this and we finally beat Yale," Katsias proudly said. "It's always good to end on a good note--we had a great season but not much luck."