W. Soccer Still Dominating Opponents

It's the season for women's soccer, and Harvard's opponents are taking the fall.

The undefeated Harvard women's soccer team once again leads the Ivy League. The Crimson was also 21st in the September 18 national rankings.

Harvard opened the season by defeating Columbia (2-1-0 overall, 0-1-0 Ivy) 3-0 and UNH 2-1. On Tuesday, Harvard beat Boston College 4-1.

Harvard (3-0-0, 1-0-0 Ivy) is riding a 15-game Ivy winning streak that dates back three seasons.

The strategy for Harvard's success could be summed up in a proverb: score unto others as you would not have them score unto you. The Crimson seems to be observing it religiously.

Last year's Ivy Player of the Year, junior forward Emily Stauffer, netted a hat trick in the win against Boston College.

Stauffer also racked up two goals and two assists against UNH and Columbia.

In addition, sophomore forward Naomi Miller made last week's Ivy League Honor Roll; Miller had two assists against UNH and a goal and two assists against Columbia.

The Harvard defense has been no less than brilliant, led by a pair of stellar rookies.

Freshman Jessica Larson is the Crimson's starting sweeper, leading a defense that has allowed just two goals.

Freshman goalie Anne Browning has been tops in the Ivy League, with four saves and no goals allowed through last week.

Elsewhere in the Ancient Eight, rivals Dartmouth (2-1-0, 1-0-0 Ivy) and Princeton (2-2-0, 1-0-0 Ivy) also started the season with league wins.

Dartmouth hammered Penn (1-3-0, 0-1-0) 5-1 and also defeated Air Force, 2-0. Dartmouth senior Jenna Kurowski was the Ivy Player of the Week, scoring the game-winners in both games.

Princeton blanked both Cornell (1-3-0, 0-1-0 Ivy,) 2-0, and Seton Hall, 4-0.

There was little cheer last week for Penn, though Columbia and Cornell were also winless in the league and kept it company in the cold Ivy cellar.

The Quakers are struggling with goalkeeping that has been the shakiest in the Ancient Eight.

Though Columbia was winless in Ivy play, the Lions found a bright spot in their Ivy Rookie of the Week, Kriszen Williams.

Williams set a school record for assists in a game, getting three as Columbia crushed Manhattan, 5-0.

Yale compensated for its season-opening 5-4 loss to Colgate with wins against Delaware, 2-1, and Fairfield, 3-0.

Yale (2-1-1, 0-0-1 Ivy) and Brown (0-2-2, 0-0-1 Ivy) were also winless in the league but pulled to the middle of the Ivy pack with a 1-1 tie against each other.

Brown has struggled with its offense this year; the goal against Yale was the first for the Bears this season.

Luckily for the Bears, the disappointing offense has been somewhat offset by a defense that has only allowed three goals.

Brown lost to Rhode Island, 1-0, and Arizona, 1-0, while eking out a scoreless tie against Vermont.

This week's only Ivy league matchups will be on Saturday, when Dartmouth plays at Princeton and Yale comes to Harvard.