Connecticut Shuts Out Men Booters, 1-0

The Harvard men's soccer team dropped its second-straight decision yesterday, falling to New England foe Connecticut, 1-0, at Connecticut Soccer Stadium in Storrs, Conn.

UConn freshman Joe Nielsen's first collegiate goal, which came 17:40 into the second half, proved to be the game-winner as the Crimson struggled offensively throughout the game. The loss dropped Harvard to 3-4-0, putting the Crimson below .500 for the first time since 1985.

"We completely dominated this game," Harvard Coach Mike Getman said. "We just didn't finish the chances we had."

The chances numbered a season-high 26 for the Crimson, which shot and shot but couldn't find the UConn net. The Huskies, meanwhile, took only nine attempts, putting home one.

Fullback Chris Albrecht brought the ball up the left sideline to left wing Rob Lindell, who sent a cross out of the left box to Nielsen. Nielsen fired a shot from seven yards out that beat Harvard keeper Jamie Reilly (2 saves).

UConn senior keeper Tom Foley, meanwhile, had surprisingly little to do in face of Harvard's high shot total--only six shots were on net.

"It was the forward's job to score, and we couldn't do it," senior forward Derek Mills said. "But when you play for a good team, you expect goals to come from everywhere, and it's not happening."

The Crimson's offensive woes are not new to Getman--finishing was Harvard's number-one problem last season. This season, Harvard opened with a four-goal win over MIT but has averaged only a goal a game since.

"We did everything but finish," Getman said. "We were very solid defensively, goalkeeping was strong, and midifeld wasn't even a competition."

UConn has been a consistently strong opponent for Harvard--the Crimson lost, 1-0, to the Huskies last season, but beat them in the NCAA playoffs the season before. This Connecticut team, however, is the worst the Crimson has played in several seasons, according to both Getman and Mills.

"This year they're not in the same league we are," Getman said. "They let us take the game to them the whole time."

UConn may not have been talented enough to beat the Crimson on paper, but, on the field, the Crimson managed to beat itself.

"The midfield played well individually," Mills said. "but there's still no creativity from anyone. We're putting nothing together going forward. We just can't seem to link up."

In the past, the UConn-Harvard game has carried heavy implications when it came time to award the NCAA New England region bid. But with the Ivy League now awarded an automatic berth to the tourney, yesterday's loss is not as crucial as it could have been. The Crimson is by no means out of the Ivy League race.

Next Up: The 'Wick

First, though, Harvard must continue to plow through the toughest section of its schedule--a stretch that includes games against perennially powerful Hartwick on Saturday and nationally ranked Boston University next Wednesday.

"We've got a few hard games coming up," Mills said. "We have to play each as if it was our last game. It's going to be tough, though, to keep the heads up."

THE NOTEBOOK: Connecticut is the second team to shut out the Crimson this season; Columbia blanked Harvard, 1-0 in overtime, in Ivy League action last month...The Huskies are ranked fourth in New England behind Vermont, Boston University and Yale...Sophomore John Shue started at right fullback for an injured Roger Chapman. Chapman missed his second straight game with an ankle injury...Harvard is currently 1-1-0 in the Ivy League, which puts it in a four-way tie for fourth place. Columbia leads the Ivies with a 2-0 record, followed by Penn (1-1-1)...The Harvard-Hartwick game will be played at 11 a.m. Saturday at Ohiri Field.

at Storrs, Conn. Harvard  0-0--0 Connecticut  0-1--1

Goals: Nielsen 1 (Lindell) 62:40.

Shots: Harvard 25, Connecticut 9

Corner Kicks: Harvard 4, Conn. 4

Saves: H, Reilly 2; C, Foley 6