W. Booters Rally Back, 4-3

If it takes a lot of sprit to come from behind to win a game, then the Harvard women's soccer team has more spirit than a liquor store in the holiday season.

The Crimson yesterday rallied to tie Holy Cross twice in regulation before sophomore fullback Tara Weinstock netted the game-winner in the second overtime period to give Harvard a 4-3 victory in Worcester.

"It was nice that the team recognized that they had to play hard to come back, and they played very well in the second half and in overtime," Crimson Coach Tim Wheaton said.

With just 7:45 remaining in the second overtime period, Captain Amy Winston passed the ball back to the top of the box where Weinstock fired a shot into the corner for her first collegiate goal.

"I usually don't score, being a defensive player," Weinstock said. "The ball was just there. I just had to kick it. I'm glad I didn't rifle it over the net."

The Harvard defense protected the lead for the rest of the overtime period to give the Crimson (2-1 overall, 1-0 Ivy League) a well-deserved victory.

"We definitely earned it," Weinstock said. "We played very hard at the end."

A surprisingly potent Harvard offense came back from 1-0 and 3-2 deficits to keep the game close.

"We showed a lot of character," senior netminder Liz Wald said. "We were constantly coming back."

Sophomore midfielder Tracy Hackeling tied the score, 3-3, and sent the game into overtime by firing a shot into the corner of the Holy Cross net with less than 10 minutes left in regulation.

Winston--who helped create all four goals in the game--and fullback Tory Fair assisted on the goal.

Opening Tallies

Holy Cross opened the game's scoring with a quick goal just three minutes into the game, but Harvard sweeper Andrea Montalbano tied the score, 1-1, at the 16-minute mark when her shot deflected off a Crusader defender into the net.

The Crimson attack threatened in intermittent spurts as its players were forced to get used to playing on Holy Cross' artificial turf field.

Harvard took a 2-1 lead four minutes into the second half on a goal by sophomore forward Ann Kletz, who volleyed in a pass from Winston.

Holy Cross then scored twice before Harvard began its second comeback.

Montalbano's goal, like Weinstock's, was the first in the junior's collegiate career.

"Something we've been concentrating on is getting the fullbacks involved in the offense," Wheaton said, "and they came through with two goals today."

Last season, the Crimson offense scored just 14 goals in 13 games.

"There's a big difference between this year and last year's 1-0 games," Wald said. "We've scored nine goals in our first three games. That gives us a lot of confidence."

Of the team's nine goals, three have been scored by fullbacks. Wheaton attributed the sudden increase in goal production to several factors.

"We have some very young players adding to the offensive punch, and we have some players returning with more experience," said Wheaton.

"And I think we also have a great assistant coach in Carin Jennings, who has a great mind for offensive strategy," Wheaton added.