Engineers Edge Out Aquawomen, 7-6

The Harvard women's water polo team has played MIT five times this year. Over the course of the first three games, the Crimson used a combination of an unstoppable offense, great defensive pressure and good goaltending to pull out three wins.

But Saturday at MIT's Alumni Pool, it was the Engineers' turn to shine, as they pulled out a 7-6 victory. MIT rode on this momentum to win the MIT Invitational Tournament.

MIT took a 14-10 decision the previous day, and Harvard was primed and ready to exact revenge. The Engineers, however, wanted to keep its modest winning streak over Harvard alive.

The teams played the first half dead-even at 4-4. Harvard's Emily Ozer scored two of the four Crimson goals. Ozer was playing two-meter in place of fellow senior Leean O'Connell, who was out with a pinched nerve.

Gu-steal-o

The defensive tempo picked up in the second half, as MIT slapped on a Harvard-style press which frustrated the Crimson in its driving efforts. On the other end of the pool, Harvard used its own trap, led by Tara Gustilo's six steals.

"They played 'D' very well," senior Tri-Captain Leslie Barbi said. "They prevented us from taking a lot of shots."

With all the low scoring, any goal would have been a big one. MIT, however, notched three. Two late goals by Stacy Moran and Ozer were not enough as MIT captured its second victory in two days.

Shut Down

"I felt very much shut down," senior Tri-Captain Eileen Pratt said. "That pool makes us crunch in our offense."

Harvard fared batter in its other two tournament games of the afternoon. The Crimson easily defeated Amherst, 12-4, and Boston College, 12-2.

Regroup

Harvard will try to regroup from this tournament as it prepares to host the Eastern Tournament this weekend. With one week before the tournament, the two MIT losses couldn't have come at a better time.

"We have to get tougher," Barbi said. "Even if it is a narrower pool, we have to get tough and get around them."

"People are already thinking about what they have to do next week," Pratt said.

THE NOTEBOOK: Bridget Neale tallied three goals against Amherst...As a team, Harvard had 18 steals in the Boston College game...Gustilo, a sophomore, had 20 steals in the tournament...The goal of the day was scored in the Amherst game. Freshman Valerie Nellen looped a pass from about 40 feet from the goal into the two-meter position, where sophomore Gillian Salton tipped it in.