Women Booters Outclass Bowdoin, 2-1

Junior striker Ellen Hart scored late in the second half to lift the Harvard's women's soccer team to a 2-1 win over Bowdoin on the Polar Bear's home field. The Crimson's record is now 6-0.

The game started slowly, as Harvard appeared flat from the three-hour commute to Bowdoin and disoriented on the Polar Bear's unusually large field.

Bowdoin wasted no time in capitalizing on the Crimson's lethargy. After only 15 minutes of play, Polar Bear forward Anna King cut in behind an off-balance Harvard defense and rifled a shot at Crimson netminder Barbara Mahon. Mahon managed to deflect the shot, but it sneaked under the cross bar to make it 1-0, Bowdoin.

Bears on the Run

Harvard, awakened by the Bowdoin tally, began to turn the game around, out-hustling the Bears to the ball and threatening to score on several occasions. However, key saves by Bowdoin goalie Tina Shen stifled the Crimson's threats and Bowdoin clung to a 1-0 lead at half-time.

In the second half, Harvard came out and took control, playing its usual fast-paced game that had been absent in the first stanza.

"We collected ourselves at the half and concentrated on beating Bowdoin to the ball," remarked Crimson mentor Bob Scalise. "It was the first time we'd been behind all season, and I was proud of our performance," he added.

Scalise had plenty to be proud of when, three minutes into the second half, co-captain Julie Brynteson booted a 35-yd. smash that eluded Shen and tied the score, 1-1.

It was all Harvard after that, as the Crimson poured 25 shots on Shen, while holding Bowdoin to only 12. However Shen was equal to the task, turning away several Sue St. Louis boots and smothering a Sara Fischer smash from 10 yards out.

Finally, with 12 minutes left in the game, Ellen Hart took a perfect centering pass from St. Louis and jammed it into the near corner for Harvard's second goal--the eventual game-winner.

Bowdoin turned the flow of play in their favor after Hart's goal, pulling all their players into the Harvard end and swarming around Crimson goalie Barbara Mahon.

Mahon, a freshman, displayed the nerves of a veteran, turning away several Bowdoin blasts, including a close-up smash from inside the penalty line.

When the buzzer finally sounded, Mahon had the ball and Harvard had the win, 2-1.

Co-captain Julie Brynteson lauded Mahon's performance. "You can be very confident knowing Barbara's back there," Brynteson said.

Happiness

Coach Scalise, obviously happy with the win, noted "We didn't play our best, Bowdoin did, yet we still won. That's the mark of a good team."

Harvard hosts Dartmouth Saturday at 11 a.m. behind the stadium.