Praises All Round for Defeated W. Boater; Dammen Scores Lone Goal in Bears Victory

If the English language gods would allow it, the Harvard women's soccer team's 1-0 loss to Ivy rival Brown yesterday at Ohiri Field could aptly be termed a "Pyrrhic loss."

Instead of being a defeat in victory, the game was truly a victory in defeat for the Crimson.

"This is one of those losses as a coach that you've got to be happy with," Harvard Coach Tim Wheaton said. "Of course, you're always disappointed with a loss, but it's an old coaching maxim that you can never be upset if your team plays well. We played real well today."

In particular, Wheaton was pleased with his team's ever-apparent aggressiveness, which, along with Brown's traditional rough and tumble style, made for a game which at times compared favorably in diving, tackling, injuries and overall physical contact with the Harvard football team's battle with William and Mary later on in the day.

"We were as aggressiveness and as driven as I think I've ever seen a Harvard team," Wheaton said. "That's saying something, and that's extremely encouraging."

Brown Coach Phil Pincince was similarly impressed with the Crimson.

"[Harvard] played with as much heart as I've ever seen them play with," he said. "Usually we play with all the aggressiveness, while they're a little more laid back. Not this year."

The first half was marked by a battle between Harvard's teflon defense and Brown's aggressive offense. The Bears, looking to take advantage of their talented wings and ubiquitous star halfback Nikki Barber, mounted numerous drives into Harvard territory, only to come up empty each time.

"We tried to exploit the flanks, but just couldn't get it in," Pincince said. "Harvard just wasn't giving in."

The first part of the second half saw more back-and-forth play as the Crimson became more aggressive offensively.

Then, with 14 minutes left in the game, Brown star forward Mia Dammen, the leading scorer in the Ivy League, penetrated the Crimson defense and split the pipes in what would be the game's only score.

The final 14 minutes of the game saw Harvard transform itself into an offensive behemoth. Frantically rushing to the Brown goal, the Crimson took a number of threatening desperation shots, which, though dramatic, failed to find net.

"I said coming into the game that the Brown game would be about who wanted it the most plus a bounce," Wheaton said. "That proved accurate. Both teams wanted it equally bad, and they got the bounce with Mia's goal."

"In all, I think it was a classic Harvard-Brown match-up," Pincince said. "I've been watching these games as a coach for 16 years, and all I can say is that this is what college soccer is all about."

BROWN, 1-0 at Ohiri Field Brown  0  1  --  1 Harvard  0  0  --  1

G: Brown--Mia Dammen (1): Harvard--None A: Brown--None S: Brown--Kristen Stevens (5); Harvard--Brooke Donahoe (3).