Stickwomen Scratch Cats, 1-0

The Harvard women's field hockey team squeaked to a 1-0 victory over the University of New Hampshire yesterday at Soldiers Field, proving itself against one of the best teams in Division I.

With 17 minutes left in the second half, forward Cindi Ersek tapped in the game's lone goal on a rebound off the UNH goalie's pads. The Wildcats, ranked sixth in the country and last year's runners-up for the NCAA title, pressed for a goal, but to no avail.

"I am very pleased," Harvard Coach Nita Lamborghini said. "UNH is a good team. We've played well all season, but this proves we're capable of beating lots of teams."

The first half of the game was uneventful, with both teams mounting constant pressure but failing to penetrate each other's strong defenses. The low and almost even number of shots on goal for Harvard and UNH reflected the relative equality of the teams.

"I think we played well in the second half. We weren't quite into the game in the beginning, but in the second we created opportunities," Lamborghini said.

The early second-half goal put the Crimson in the lead, but UNH didn't start to panic until the final minutes, which were marked by heavy action around both goals.

Throughout the second half, both teams demonstrated fluid passing and smooth transitioning up the field--yet after the first goal, neither was able to capitalize on the numerous penalty corners and increased shots on goal. Crimson goalie Denise Katsias recorded nine saves to notch the shut-out.

The victory was a welcome comeback for Harvard (5-3-2) after last weekend's tie with Ivy rival Dartmouth. The Crimson's next showdown is a home match Thrusday against Boston University.