Men Attempt to Defend Title

Respect.

All teams want it. Not many get it.

Even Ivy League champions feel like Rodney Dangerfield sometimes.

A case in point is the Harvard men's soccer team, which tied with Brown for the Ivy League title but won the league's automatic NCAA Tournament bid due to its 2-0 victory over the Bears.

But instead of teams getting overly psyched to play defending champion Harvard, many still give the Crimson (5-9-2 last year, 5-1-1 Ivy) little concern, a result of Harvard's failing to win any of its nine non-Ivy games.

"We haven't earned their respect," junior Will Kohler said. "That is only the good thing that comes as a way of how we won the Ivies."

In other words, teams will probably fear playing number 13 Columbia more than they will the defending league champions. The same poll lists Harvard in the middle of the Ivy League pack. But that's fine with the squad.

The players won the crown fair and square--and in the most dramatic fashion. Harvard scored two goals in overtime to devastate Brown in the regular season finale before a standing-room-only home crowd and then waited for Dartmouth to topple Columbia the next day.

Although Boston University, then the top-ranked team in the nation, eliminated Harvard from the NCAA Tournament with a 2-0 victory, the season ended up a success.

To say the least, Harvard feels that it can and should compete for the crown once again.

"I have very high expectations for this team," fourth-year head coach Steve Locker said. "They are a bit of an unproven team, but they are very talented, very young and more mature and seasoned than last year."

The Crimson presents only two seniors on its roster--captain Chris Wojcik and goalie Ned Carlson--but the apparent youth of the team is tempered by the experience that a very strong junior and sophomore class brings with them. In addition, the team graduated only five players, losing just three of its 11 starters from a year ago.

Midfielders and Forwards

The Crimson is loaded with talent upfield.

MEN'S SOCCER

Record: 5-9-2

Ivy League: 5-1-1

Coach: Steve Locker

Captain: Chris Wojcik '96

Key Returnees: Will Kohler '97, Kevin Silva '97, T.J. Carella '97

New Faces: Armando Petruccelli '99, Richard Wilmot '97

Key Loss: Pepper Brill '95

The three top scorers on last season's squad all return, and all three are juniors: Will Kohler, Kevin Silva and T.J. Carella.

Throw into that mix freshman Armando Petruccelli, a member of the U.S. national team, and Penn State transfer Richard Wilmot--a junior--and one can see that Harvard has the potential of giving famed soccer announcer Andres Cantor a sore throat.

Kohler, a first-team All Ivy forward last year, has moved back to midfield in order to save some wear and tear on his back. The change of position should not affect his scoring potential, however.

Silva and Carella, also midfielders, were the offensive heroes in the game for the ages last November against Brown. Wojcik's strong passing ability and Petruccelli's international experience make the midfield unit one of the strongest, if not the strongest, one in the Ivy League.

Wilmot, who competed along with fellow Pennsylvanians Kohler, Carella and Silva on the 1991 F.C. Delco National Championship team, is a key addition to the forward unit.

Sophomore Toure McCluskey, whose seeing-eye pass led to Silva's heroic goal, and juniors John Vrionis and David Bonita should also see playing time up front.

"We are very offensive minded and very technical," Kohler said. "We will be an exciting team to watch."

Defenders and Goaltenders

The loss of Pepper Brill '95--the Crimson's only first-team All Ivy selection besides Kohler--leaves a void that other players will certainly have to fill on the defensive lines.

However, the Crimson does return to its defense juniors Mark Holley and Tariq lawad and sophomore Tom McLaughlin, who could also see some time at forward. Freshman Lee Williams, who hails from Kent, England, will also see playing time, although he is currently nursing a hamstring injury.

In goal, Harvard has four netminders, all of whom could start. Junior Peter Albers is the favorite to see the most playing time, as he excelled towards the end of the season.

Carlson, sophomore Ben Weeden and freshman Jordan Dupuis will be ready to step in when called upon.

The Schedule

One thing you can't say about Harvard's schedule is that it is filled with a certain variety of pastry--the cream pull.

After a home match against Fairfield on Wednesday, September 13, Harvard faces three top-20 teams in its next four games. Number-five North Carolina, which scored 11 goals in its first weekend of action, hosts Harvard in its own tournament this Friday, while number-five Boston University and Columbia invade Ohiri Field next week.

"We try to schedule the toughest competition we can get nationally," Locker said.

For the Crimson, the game against the Lions opens its Ivy League season and should set the tone for the remainder of the campaign. Last year, Harvard to Columbia in its first league contest a loss that set a negative tone for the first half of the season before the team regrouped to win the Ancient Eight crown.

"The last two years we haven't started as well as we would like, and we want to jump start the season right away," Wojcik said. "Columbia has been our nemesis the last couple of years."

As there is no post-season Ivy League tournament, every league match carries an extra importance. However, a few non-league wins would bolster Harvard's national status.

Last-minute losses count as much as blow-outs in the standings, and the team's grueling preseason workouts are geared towards making the Crimson ready for late-game situations.

"Our fitness will help us in those last 10 minutes," Kohler said. "The training is really something we need to succeed."

And with success comes respect.

Most of the time, that is.

"The last two years we haven't started as well as we would like, and we want to jump start the season right away," Wojcik said. "Columbia has been our nemesis the last couple of years."

As there is no post-season Ivy League tournament, every league match carries an extra importance. However, a few non-league wins would bolster Harvard's national status.

Last-minute losses count as much as blow-outs in the standings, and the team's grueling preseason workouts are geared towards making the Crimson ready for late-game situations.

"Our fitness will help us in those last 10 minutes," Kohler said. "The training is really something we need to succeed."

And with success comes respect.

Most of the time, that is.