Crimson Continues Run With Shutout Win

The No. 6 Harvard men’s soccer team (6-0-0) knocked off New Hampshire, 1-0, yesterday afternoon in Durham, N.H. to preserve its perfect record ahead of the much-anticipated matchup with No. 3 Wake Forest this weekend. The kicker: according to Crimson coach Jamie Clark, the team didn’t even play well.

“Today’s game was a worry for the whole team,” Clark said. “Just getting through the game was a victory…It is nice to know that we’re finding a way to win and build confidence even when we’re not playing our best.”

That confidence will be important on Saturday against the Demon Deacons, the highest ranked team Harvard has faced yet. Aside from a 1-0 loss to Virginia last week, the ACC squad has dominated its conference and is a major player on the national level.

With last night’s win over the Wildcats (2-4-1), however, the Crimson overcame another hurdle before the match against the powerhouse from North Carolina.

“It was a tough game,” co-captain Andre Akpan said. “It was not the greatest field or environment, and we played against big and physical players, but we came out to win.”

And win it did.

The team was propelled by a 60th-minute goal from freshman forward Brian Rogers off of an assist from senior midfielder Adam Rousmaniere. Rogers has recorded four goals this season, including two game-winning scores, legitimizing his role as an up-and-coming offensive threat.

“Brian Rogers is a young player who has stepped in and been the guy beside Andre [Akpan] to contribute to our offense,” Clark said. “He does not get all the press, but he is a huge force on the field.”

Another key contributor in yesterday’s game was sophomore goalkeeper Austin Harms, who recorded his third shutout of the season. Harms broke into the starting 11 last year as a freshman and has been a major reason for the undefeated start to the year. Harms made three saves to preserve the victory.

But Harms was far from alone in keeping New Hampshire off the scoresheet. The Crimson has allowed only two goals this season and has retained the philosophy that a stellar defense will win games. Harms did not face a shot on goal in the entire second half.

The solid performance at the back was vital given Harvard’s inability to really get into gear offensively.

“We knew it was going to be a battle going in,” Rousmaniere said. “[New Hampshire] was an athletic team and made gaining an advantage difficult, but Rogers had a nice finish and the team has definitely gained a lot of momentum for Saturday’s match.”

Facing a fellow top-10 team will be a big test for the Crimson.

“This weekend, it is two teams trying to show each other who is better,” Clark said. “It is a huge game for our team and our season.”

“The team has been looking forward to this game for a while,” Rousmaniere said. “Wake is a great team and a good test for us. We’re ready to head down.”

For now, however, it is satisfying just to enjoy another victory.