Harvard Falls to BU, Ends Winning Streak

Taking its three-game winning streak to Nickerson Field Wednesday night, the Harvard women’s soccer team (3-2) missed an opportunity to earn its first away victory of the season. At the hands of a dominant performance by Boston University (6-2-1), the Crimson fell 3-0, taking only four shots on goal to the Terrier’s eight.

Boston University remains unbeaten at home (4-0) while Harvard has been rendered winless on the road. Prior to the game, 17th-season BU head coach Nancy Feldman received recognition for her 300th career victory that she earned after defeating Loyola on Aug. 27.

Her most recent win, number 303, came at a timely point in the season—the Terriers halted a two-game skid and took down the Crimson by controlling possession for much of the game.

With 22:41 to go in the first half, Terrier’s sophomore midfielder Kylie Strom lined a ball past the diving Harvard goalkeeper, junior A.J. Millet, to put the Terriers up 1-0. Eight minutes later, Strom scored her second goal of the night on a free kick to the left of Millet.

It was Strom’s first career multiple-scoring night.

Making her first appearance since sustaining a broken nose last Friday, Millet sported a full facial mask, covering a large black eye that was visible during pre-game introductions.

“I was a little nervous coming in, but after taking some shots I got adjusted to it,” said Millet about her extra facial protection. “It actually helped on one ball.”

Millet started in goal for a Crimson team that has been searching for stability at the keeper position following a rash of injuries. In the second half, freshman goalie Cheta Emba replaced Millet, giving up one goal and making two saves.

“Cheta is doing awesome,” Millet said.

With 32 minutes remaining in the match, B.U. freshman Kai Miller buried a shot into the right corner of the net, over the extended hands of a leaping Emba, to put the Terriers up 3-0.

In the minutes following the B.U.’s third goal, Harvard coach Ray Leone pulled his remaining starters and proceeded to substitute twelve different players throughout the rest of the second half.

“It was a great opportunity against a great team to give to players that have been working hard for three weeks and not played,” Leone said. “It was great that everybody got to play because we have a lot of games in a row here, and we have to do it again on Friday and Sunday.”

In total, all 24 Crimson players saw minutes during the game. The three other members of the roster, freshman keeper Bethany Kanten, sophomore goalie Jessica Wright, and sophomore forward Elizabeth Weisman were out with injuries.

“That was awesome,” said freshman midfielder Kate Makaroff who played 61 minutes. “That was a big thing [Leone] talked about. It was huge for them to come in and everyone contributed, everyone got to play tonight. It’s what Crimson pride is all about.”

Riding a three-game win streak into Wednesday night’s game, the Harvard team was energized as exhibited during a pre-game dance-off minutes before the 7 p.m. start, while the Terriers continued to warm up on the field.

The halftime mood was more subdued, however, as the squad sat on the field near the bench listening to Leone. Better play in the second half and opportunities for the whole team to substitute in lifted the spirits of the Crimson players, who saw positives even in the shutout loss.

“I think we put some good things together, but we did have a couple of breakdowns,” Makaroff said. “We’re going to take this and build on it and move forward.

There were some great moments for us in this game and we’re definitely making progress and getting where we want to be.”

Harvard returns to Soldiers Field for a Friday afternoon match against Hofstra, then travels to face Rhode Island on Sunday in its last non-conference games before opening Ivy League play against Penn on Sept. 23.

Until then, the Crimson will be practicing and reviewing footage from the busy slate of games they have had in the past weeks—a schedule that has kept Harvard off of the practice field.

“There are some areas we have to look at the film and learn from,” Leone said. “We need to practice. We’ve been playing games, so not until we get through Sunday will we have that chance.”