`Slugger' Morrone Excites the Fans

Get ready to rumble.

The Harvard men's soccer team has been involved in some physical play on the field this season, but it almost got extremely physical on the sidelines during the University of Connecticut game last Wednesday.

Following junior fullback Don Daigle's game-winning goal, UConn Coach Joe Morrone yanked goalie Brian Hall. As Hall ambled slowly off the field, a sympathetic Harvard fan who had played for Morrone 10 years ago yelled to Hall that he shouldn't feel bad--Morrone was a...well, let's just say this fan didn't think too highly of Morrone.

And what did Morrone do?

What any mature adult would do in this situation. He dared the fan to come down and repeat the profane remark to his face. Of course, the fan was happy to oblige.

Fan and coach jawed for awhile, but no blows were thrown, as UConn Assistant Coaches Eric Swallow and Jeff Spear were able to restrain Morrone.

We're Live: While a boxing match was almost breaking out on one side of the field, a UConn radio announcer was capturing the lighter side of the game on the other. The announcer compared swerving corner kicks to Frank Viola curveballs and, capturing the tension of the game following a near miss by a Harvard shooter, declared, "Huskies fans can exhale."

Wouldn't want them to suffocate.

Spikes Away: Those attending last Saturday's match against Yale may have thought they had come to the wrong sport.

Late in the second half of the game, junior fullback Josh Morris went up high and spiked the ball away--a great play if he had been playing volleyball, but a penalty in soccer.

"I was extremely tired," explained Morris. "I didn't know if anyone was behind me. I'd rather get a penalty than give up a goal."

That's taking one for the team--to the extreme.

Wildcat Strike: On a more serious note, Harvard (1-2 overall, 0-2 Ivy) hosts New Hampshire at Ohiri Field tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.

"This is a big game for us," sophomore forward J.D. Kosakowski said. "We've got to get to .500. If we win this one, hopefully we can get up for Hartwick [next Saturday]."