UMass Monsters Mash Slumping Booters, 4-0

When you lose by four goals, there is usually very little to be happy about.

But the Harvard women's soccer team found a silver lining in yesterday's 4-0 defeat at the hands of the university of Massachusetts in Amherst.

The lining was that--despite the score--the Crimson played just as well as the Minutewomen, the top-ranked team in New England and the third-ranked team in the nation. Harvard held powerful UMass to just six shots on goal while taking 16 shots itself.

"The only difference between the teams was that they were better at putting the ball in the net," freshman Robin Johnston said. "When they had their chances, they used them."

The Minutewomen (11-1-1) tallied twice early in the first period to get ahead and notched another pair of goals in the second half to cement the victory.

Harvard Coach Tim Wheaton once again gave Beth Reilly the nod to start in net, and the sophomore played well, making a save on a breakaway.

But UMass still managed to score all four goals with Reilly in net, several of them on shots that belong in the highlight films.

"You can't expect a goalie to save everything," sophomore fullback Tara Weinstock said. "They were incredible shots. You could have had Shep Messing in there and it wouldn't have made any difference."

Senior Liz Wald came in to relieve Reilly in the second half and kept the Minutewomen from increasing their lead.

Harvard (3-7 overall, 1-2 Ivy League) played well in the midfield, winning just as many loose balls as UMass did. "We did control the play of the game," Johnston said. "We're definitely pleased with the way we played."

But up front, the Crimson--which has not scored a goal in October, and tallied only once in its last six games--was not able to convert its chances into goals.

"I thought we played them pretty evenly," Weinstock said. "It was definitely not a 4-0 game on the field. They were quick up front and capitalized on their chances."