Lightning Strikes Three Times As Crimson Upsets Eagles, 3-1

The shots came like three bolts of lighting as Kelly Landry and the Harvard women's soccer team struck Boston College a 3-1 blow.

The booters walked onto Ohiri I teld yesterday afternoon determined just to prove themselves against B.C., the nation's fifth-ranked squad, and walked off the field 90 minutes of play later with their most thrilling victory of the season.

The red-hot Landry, who has scored eight times in her last three games, tallied all of the Crimson goals, but it took a sparkling team effort to knock off the shocked B.C.

Harvard freshman goalie Tracee Whitley summed up the team's emotions later: "We are ecstatic!"

The win was a vital one, as Harvard's record moved to 7-1-1. The team entered the game with a slightly disappointing 14th-place tie in the national rankings.

Disappointing, that is, only because the Crimson was ranked 14th last week as well. "When you play three great games like we did last week you do get a little upset," Harvard Coach Bob Scalise said of his squad's failure to move up in the rankings.

That's why yesterday's win felt so good.

The game's fast pace was set early in the first half as both Harvard and B.C. made use of the entire field white looking for the big break.

Crimson defenders Lori Barry, Joan Elliott and Inga Larson were faced with a steady stream of Eagle hopefuls, but were successful in denying them access to the goal.

And when someone did manage to slip by, the dazzling Whitley was prepared, turning in several crucial saves.

Nevertheless, on the other end of the field, the Harvard offense didn't meet with any better luck. "The first half of the game was very even," commented Scalise, "but that played into our hands."

The Crimson coach took advantage of the situation to give Landry some rest, and by the time the second half opened, she was primed to put an end to the scoreless tie.

The booters opened the period aggressively, making repeated charges on visiting goalie Kathy Brophy.

Then, at 17:56 into the half, lightning struck.

Landry, unassisted, smashed the ball past Brophy, prompting goalie Whitley to run down the length of the field and join the reveling huddle around Harvard's all-time leading scorer.

It struck again just two minute later, as Landry converted a Brophy miscue into her second unassisted goal of the afternoon.

But B.C. was determined to show that they weren't ranked fifth for nothing, and the Eagles took advantage of a somewhat relaxed Crimson defense to venture into Harvard territory.

At 30:02, B.C. freshman Becky Ready followed a corner kick from teammate Catherine Murphy past Whitley and into the goal, bringing the score to 2-1.

The one-goal difference was too close for Harvard's liking, however, and once again Landry supplied the remedy.

Junior Ann Baker received the ball under pressure and loosed a spectacular sliding pass to the waiting Landry, who charged the goal and came out on the upper side of a one-on-one showdown with Brophy.

"That was a fun win," Landry exulted after the triumph. For the steaming booters the win was not only fun. It was a major boost in the direction of a bid to the 14-team post-season NCAA tournament.

"The difference in the game was fitness level and desire" said Scalise. The Harvard team excelled in both yesterday. The squad faces Cornell, the other 14th-ranked squad, in an important Ivy League contest Saturday morning at Ohiri.

THE NOTEBOOK: Senior Co-Captain Alicia Carrillo, who will be sidelined for the rest of the season as she recuperates from knee surgery, put in her first appearance at a game since being injured a week ago...Brown, a 1-0 victor over the Crimson two weeks ago, is ranked fourth in the country.