W. Soccer: A Dream Deferred

Although the Harvard women's soccer team ended its season Sunday afternoon with a heartbreaking second-round NCAA tournament loss to Boston College at home, the season it put together this fall will be the standard by which future Crimson teams will be measured against.

An integral part of this squad, which finished 14-2-1 and won the Ivy League crown with the third perfect mark (7-0) since all eight schools began sponsoring women's soccer in 1991, and which entered the NCAA tournament as the No. 7 team in the country, was the talented freshman unit.

The class of 2003 came into camp this September without the same hype that last year's senior-loaded version faced.

The capsule outlook in the women's program went as such : "Despite a ranking of 25th in the NSCAA Preseason poll, the 1999 version of the Harvard women's soccer team will not be greeted with the high expectations that were heaped upon the squad last year. The squad has graduated one of the most successful classes in the history of the program, which included possibly the best player to ever wear the Crimson, Emily Stauffer."

If its remarkable run this season was any indication though, this freshman class is well on its way to being put alongside last year's graduating squad as one of the most successful in school history.

The class of 2003 not only accounted for more than half of the offensive production this year, but it also went undefeated during the regular season with a mark of 14-0-1, sitting out an early season loss against UNH due to Orientation week.

Although the senior leadership of Jess Larson, Ashley Berman, Beth Zotter, Julia Blain and Gina Foster will be sorely missed next year, the future looks bright for Harvard Coach Tim Wheaton and his team's solid base of underclassmen.

Here is a look at Harvard's roster of freshman phenoms.

F Beth Totman

With six goals and seven assists, Totman's 19 points led the Crimson this fall. A 5-6 forward from New York, Totman was a four-year starter for Southside High School, the three-time state champions.

She was a Parade All-American and the 1998 NSCAA/Adidas New York High School Player of the Year. She played along teammate and fellow freshman Cheryl Gunther on the Northport Piranhas, National Club Champions in 1997 and 1999.

Despite these accolades, Totman still faced a tough adjustment to the college game.

"It was a rough preseason since all of us had never gone through such arduous training before," Totman says. "I had to adjust a little physically. Every practice we had, everyone went all out and tried their hardest, and I

wasn't used to the consistency. On club, you show up to practice and goof

around with your teammates, but here you have to focus when Tim is coaching."

One of the invaluable ingredients that helped Totman and her classmates adjust to the college game was the senior guidance provided by teammates like Larson and Zotter.

"Jess Larson and Beth Zotter are great leaders for many reasons, but

a big one is their work ethic," she says. They never stop working on the field. You almost feel like you're giving up and quitting if you're not working as

hard as them. They force you to work hard. As a forward, I never really

had to play that much defense in the past, but now I do. That's a big

difference in the college game."

Despite the loss to the Eagles, Totman, who earned second-team All-Ivy honors, remains optimistic about the future of the program.

"Harvard women's soccer is all

about relationships that will last for the rest of your life," she says. "I love this team, and as a freshman, I can only say that this is just the beginning."

F Joey Yenne

As the other half of the dynamic freshman offensive duo, Yenne netted six goals and six assists of her own for the Crimson. Her 18 points were second only to Totman's 19.

Hailing from St. Cloud, Minn., Yenne was Central Minnesota Player of the Year in 1998. She ranks fifth all-time in the National High School Federation Sports Record Book for goals in a season, with 71 goals in her 1996 season at Pensacola (FL) High School, and is tied for the most goals in a game record in Florida, having scored eight in a game.

She did not have a hard time taking the step up to Division I-A , earning second-team All-Ivy recognition like Totman.

"It's been awesome joining such a

great program and playing with such great players," she says. "Obviously, college soccer is a huge step up from the high school level, but I think I adjusted well."

She, like Totman, cites upperclassmen leadership as crucial to the success of the team this year.

"Our seniors are great," she says. "They offer great leadership on and off the field, and I know that they're role models as well as great friends to a

lot of us freshmen. They will be sorely missed next year."

GK Cheryl Gunther

As a two-time All-State goalkeeper, Gunther was twice named to Newsday's "Top 10 Players to Watch."

She recorded 32 career shutouts in high school and posted an equally impressive 0.50 career goals-against average.

Replacing 6'0 senior All-Ivy keeper Anne Browning, who chose not to play this season, was a tall order. But at 5'10, Gunther also intimidated opposing players like few others have in Harvard women's soccer history.

She owned the nation's second lowest goals-against average and led a team that allowed the fewest goals in the country during the regular season. She was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year and also was voted as a member of the second-team all-league squad.

"The college transition has been relatively smooth," Gunther says. "During preseason I was very intimidated and nervous, but within a month I became acclimated

to this wonderful team."

Despite starting as a freshman at the position that brings with it the most pressure, Gunther quickly eased into the spot and never looked back.

"The goalkeeper position calls for a

leadership role in the defense," she said.

"My defenders were very supportive and treated me as a teammate instead

of as a freshman. They listened to me even though they obviously had more

experience. On the other teams I have been on, it takes a very long time for the defenders to start respecting me as a leader in the back. I became increasingly vocal as the season

progressed and I hope to become even more vocal [in the future]."

M Orly Ripmaster

As a three-year starter and captain of her high school team in Colorado, Ripmaster earned All-State honors twice. Her club team, the Colorado Rush, won four national titles in 1999 (U-17, U-19, U-23, and Open).

Ripmaster, 5-10, started five games this year and netted three goals along with two assists.

"I feel I have progressed immensely and that makes the success of the team that much more important to me," Ripmaster says. "This team hit the

big time and my contributions and the contributions of all the other phenomenal freshmen have helped, and that makes it so enjoyable."

She looks take over Berman's or Blain's starting midfielder spot next year, joining Totman, Yenne, Gunther and Bryce Weed as sophomore starters.

"I can hardly say that next year I am going to be a veteran, but it will be a lot different," Ripmaster says. "As such a great class we are going to remain an intricate part of the team, but we'll still have a lot to learn."

M Bryce Weed

Weed, out of Seattle's Lakeside High, was the Seattle Times' Female Athlete of the year for 1999.

This season she was fourth on the Crimson in points, with five goals and four assists. Her presence in the midfield often frustrated opponents and stalled offensive strikes from opposing teams.

Weed was the only freshman named to the first-team All-Ivy squad, and her role will continue to grow as Wheaton looks for a way to make up for the loss of Berman and Blain.

"The transition to the college game hasn't been too difficult," Weed says. "The main differences are that the college game is more physical and fast paced."

"The senior leadership has been extremely valuable to the success of our team," she adds. "The support and confidence they have shown to the freshmen has allowed us to play up to our potential."

D Katie Urbanic

Urbanic was an All-State selection in 1997 and 1998, and earned Gatorade Player of the Year recognition in her home state of Minnesota.

Although she started only five games this year, Urbanic looks to have an important place in Wheaton's plans for next year, with the loss of Ivy League Player of the Year Jess Larson and back Gina Foster.

"I was extremely nervous before preseason, but the girls were so welcoming and nice that it didn't take long to feel at ease," Urbanic says. "I never expected to come to this team and have so much success. If someone had told me five months ago that I would be playing on the No. 7 team in the country, I wouldn't have believed them. I think part of the reason we've done so well is team chemistry."

M Amy Cooper

Cooper captained both her soccer and basketball teams as a senior at Richard Montgomery High School in Potomac, Md. Starting for three years primarily as a sweeper or midfielder, Cooper was an All-State and All-South honoree last year.

Freshman year was a good learning experience for her, and with Larson and Foster leaving, she looks to gain significant playing time next season.

"There was great team chemistry this year," Cooper says. "Although there were plenty of voids left by the graduating seniors last year, we stepped up to fill them. The upperclassmen have been great about helping us freshman ease into the college game."

Cooper knows that she and Urbanic will have big shoes to fill at defense next year. They'll look to maintain a backfield that gave up seven goals this season, only three of which came in Ivy League competition.

F Caitlin Butler

Butler played on state-champion teams Winchester (Mass.) High in 1995, 1997 and 1998 and earned All-Scholastic, All-State and All-New England honors in her last two years. She was also named the 1998 NSCAA/Adidas Massachusetts High School Player of the Year and an All-American.

With Totman and Yenne, Butler will form a three-dimensional offensive attack in future years.

"We played an integral part [this year], but the team's success was

fueled by the seniors, who set an amazing precedent," she says. "Their effort and enthusiasm have led us this far and will carry us [in the future]."

"Personally, I feel that the speed of the game, as well as the needed

consistency is a step up from high school," she adds. "I feel that I have learned a lot over the past few months and will continue to grow as a player and person."

So despite losing a group of seniors that has been a driving force for Coach Wheaton's team during this memorable season, there is little doubt that these talented freshmen will form the core of a successful women's soccer program here at Harvard over the next three years.