Stickwomen Down Providence College

In a season opener cum homecoming, the Harvard field hockey team rolled to a 4-2 triumph over Providence College yesterday at Soldier's Field.

Recently returned from a 13-day trip through Ireland, the stickwomen showed off their tour-bred togetherness and game experience while dominating the Lady Friars in every aspect of the game.

Harvard's defensive unit, always an asset in the past, kept the ball out of the Crimson end for about three quarters of the game. Halfbacks Ellen O'Neill and Toby Carro prowled the Providence passing lanes to break up nearly every Lady Friars attack. The midfielders did their share as well, hustling their way to victory in the ball-control trenches. As a result, Crimson netminder Juliet Lamont had little to do but watch.

The Harvard offense kept the pressure on the Providence goal, but despite constant scoring chances, the stickwomen managed only four tallies. Left wing Kate Martin notched two goals and an assist while displaying the ability that earned her a spot on the national A-level team. The senior co-captain created several Crimson scoring opportunities with her aggressive thrusts toward the net. Martin sometimes pursued the ball into one-on-four situations only to beat all four flabbergasted Friars.

Also wreaking havoc in the Friar backfield was Jennifer White, who combined with Martin on several give-and-go plays that almost resulted in Harvard goals. White set up the best score of the day when she broke free on the left side of the net, drew Providence's Judy Van Schelt out of the net, and then fed Martin in front of the open goal.

That tally gave the stickwomen a 2-0 edge with just under nine minutes left in first stanza Harvard had drawn first blood when Bety Torg knocked the ball in seconds after Lili Pew slapped a penalty corner into the midst of the penalty area.

Providence struck back a third of the way into the second period when Jackie Gladu pushed in a Donna Salvoni pass Harvard quickly recushioned its lead when Andy Mainelli's shot rebounded onto the stick of Martin, who alertly pushed in her second of the afternoon.

Maureen Finn lofted a penalty shot into the left side of the Friar net to round out Crimson scoring. Providence added a garbage goal with under two minutes remaining.

Despite the stickwomen's handy win, some problems materialized in the Harvard camp. The three quarters of the game during which the Crimson dominated the action could easily have been negated by intermittent periods of sloppy play. The first five minutes of the contest were especially poorly played.

"We've got to work on settling into the game right away," Crimson Coach Edie Mabrey said after the game. Mabrey noted that the stickwomen will need consistency to compete with the better teams on the Harvard schedule.

THE NOTEBOOK: A rule change that took effect this season will give Mabrey extra room to juggle he lineup. Lasy year, teams were allowed only four substitutions per game, while this year the maximum is four per half. Also, players removed from the lineup may re-enter the game under the new rule "We have a top 16, not a top 11." Mabrey said, explaining that the liberalized substitution rules help teams with Harvard's depth