Women Booters Shut Out Holy Cross, 2-0

WORCESTER--"Aggressive."

"Spirited."

"Intellegent."

"Hyper."

"Cohesive."

That's how members of the Harvard women's soccer team described themselves before the booters took the field against a tough Holy Cross squad here yesterday. Two hours later, the Crimson emerged with a 2-0 victory on a soaked Fitton Field, and added another label to the list:

Undefeated.

Yesterday's victory over the Cross gave Harvard a perfect 6-0 slate on the season, its best start since 1981 when the booters won their first eight games. Yesterday also marked goalie Tracee Whitley's fifth shutout of the year.

"The team is getting more confident in [Whitley's] ability to confront dangerous situations," Harvard Coach Bob Scalise said. "We have been beating our opponents to the ball, and maintaining an overall defensive control."

The Crimson's play thus far has evoked memories of the greatest women's soccer squads in the program's 12-year history. Although Crimson booters have never completed a season undefeated, the 1978 and '79 campaigns went 15-1 and 13-1 respectively.

"This team doesn't have the top-flight goal scorer that characterized the '78, and '79 teams," Scalise said of his 1986 edition, "but [it] displays a much higher overall level of play."

The level of play was obviously too high for the Crusaders yesterday. Harvard jumped out to a 1-0 lead early in the first half when Harvard forward Cathy Dawson's shot ricocheted off both the post and a Holy Cross defender into the goal.

With 10 minutes remaining in the half, forward Mylene Moreno took a perfect pass from Co-Captain Wendy Zeeben and scored from just inside the penalty box. For the remainder of the half, Crimson defense turned away the angry Crusader effort.

Whitley came up with three tremendous dive-saves in the second half to protect the Harvard shutout. Overall, the Crimson outshot its opponents, 18-12.

Midfielder Karen Pinezich contributing seven of the 18. "It's fun," Pinezich said.