Middies Dunk Laxmen, 10-9

The Harvard lacrosse team's comeback train was running at full steam Wednesday in the opening game of the NCAA Tournament.

But by the middle of the fourth period, there was no more coal left in the engine. A couple of crew-cut Navy boys had managed to steal it away from the Crimson.

The Midshipmen edged Harvard, 10-9, in front of 500 spectators at Ohiri Field and earned a pass to Syracuse's Carrier Dome where they will face the top-ranked Orangemen in the NCAA quarterfinals Sunday.

Harvard (11-4) picked its final game of the season to suffer its first home loss. Before the Navy game, the Crimson was 8-0 at Ohiri.

Navy attack Paul Basile scored the game-winner--which broke a 9-9 deadlock--with 4:21 remaining in the final period. Basile's goal followed a well-executed Navy rush up the entire length of the field and helped save the Midshipmen from drowning in the comeback waters of the Crimson's port of call.

Navy (8-4) took a 7-4 lead into the intermission on a John Wade goal that skipped through a crowded area of players and found a home behind Harvard goalie Mike Bergmann.

"They put three guys close together screening in on the crease," Harvard Coach Scott Anderson said. "They just kept taking shots [which] our goalie would have been able to stop, but he wasn't seeing the ball very well."

Harvard played the Navy ballhandlers much more aggressively in the second half. The aggressive style cut down the number of Navy scoring opportunities and helped the Crimson put some points on the board. Before a minute had elapsed in the final period, Harvard was ahead, 8-7.

The comeback began when Steve Lux, calmly situated behind the Navy net, dished off a pass to Ivy League Rookie of the Year Mickey Cavouti, who slipped it past Navy goalie Joe Donnelly five minutes into the third period.

A minute later, Lux was at it again. This time he found Brad Raymond, who hit the twine and cut the Navy lead down to one.

M-I-C-K-E-Y

With 5:05 remaining in the third period, Cavouti tied the game at seven when he danced circles around Navy defender Nick Amatuccio and bounced the ball past Donnelly.

As if his two other second-half assists weren't enough, Lux found Dave Kramer open at the top of the box. Faster than you could say, "The United States Naval Academy at Annapolis," Kramer's screamer blew straight into the net.

"I think we were very lucky to win this game," Navy Coach Bryan Matthews said, "because Harvard outplayed us at certain points."

Navy tied the game, 8-8, on a goal by Tim O'Rourke two minutes after Kramer's goal. Harvard's Rob Griffith scored his third goal of the afternoon two minutes later to give the Crimson a 9-8 lead.

But then navy blew the whistle on Harvard's comeback train. Donnelly (18 saves) and his defensive mates got stingy. Basile and his offensive buddies decided to get back into the flow of the game.

"I'm not going to pat my team on the back today," Matthews said. "But I'll give them credit for coming up tough at the end when we had to."

Mike Herger tied the game eight minutes into the final period when he scored while being pushed into the crease. Three minutes later, Donnelly saved a Cavouti shot, which sent the Midshipmen into their transition game. Herger found Basile open on the right side of the box. Basile's shot slid past Bergmann (12 saves).