Women Booters Fit To Be Tied

Missed scoring chances. Poor communication. Disappointment.

Such were the buzzwords for the Harvard and University of New Hampshire women's soccer teams following their 2-2 seesaw decision yesterday at blustery Ohiri Field.

While both squads grumbled over what could've been, the Wildcats were the ones that watched the sweet "W" turn sour. The Crimson overcame UNH's first-half offensive dominance and 1-0 lead to knot the score in the second half and force overtime.

In the early going, the Wildcats mauled a sluggish Harvard squad, outhustling the Crimson to the ball and controlling the midfield.

UNH senior back Jill Lewis launched a barrage of crisp passes from the midfield circle deep into Harvard territory. Lewis pounced upon Harvard clearing passes, redirecting the ball down the sidelines to wings Valentina Auramovic, Diane McLoughlin and halfback Mary Beth Sydlowski.

Countering the onslaught were Harvard's Tara Weinstock, Erin Matias, Tracy Hackeling and Tory Fair. They scrambled, body-blocked and slid into everything. They even banged some heads. And they almost bounced out the inevitable--a loose ball in the goalbox.

McLoughlin floated a throw-in in front of the Crimson goal area. A flurry ensued. With 20:41 left in the first half, UNH's Amy Gale slapped a loose ball that skimmed off freshman goalie Brook Donahoe's outstretched fingers for the go-ahead score.

"For the first 20 to 25 minutes, we didn't come ready to play. We weren't winning the 50-50 balls," Coach Tim Wheaton said. "From about that time on, we began to control the ball."

Midfielder Sharon Olken--a late first-half substitute--ignited the Crimson attack, combining with Weinstock and Robin Johnston to catalyze the offense.

With time dwindling in the second half, Olken spun around from the left corner and looped a crossing pass into the crease. Weinstock bolted through the middle and kneed the squibbling cross by Wildcats goaltender Molly Krichner into the upper right-hand corner of the net.

Not Sudden Death

Five minutes into the first period of extra time, a loose ball deflected off Sydlowski's shoulder in the goalbox for a handball penalty. Direct kick for Harvard.

Johnston stepped to the ball. Krichner sauntered up to Johnston. The Wildcats goalkeeper then picked up the ball and landed a big, wet kiss on the ball.

The whistle. Johnston makes her approach, looking left. Krichner leans left. Johnston stays right, blasting the go-ahead goal into the back netting.

"[Krichner] was trying to intimidate me," Johnston said. "She first said to me, good luck!' So I said good luck to her. I was totally laughing."

But Harvard couldn't laugh all the way to the victory bank, thanks to the Wildcats stamina. UNH exerted offensive pressure and precise crossing passes to retake the momentum from Harvard.

With 11:15 to play in overtime, Auramovic--a long-ball threat all day--lined a dipping cross to Sydlowski. The junior midfielder tucked Auramovic's pass low into the left corner. And so it ended.

"We walk away disappointed with the outcome of the game because of our inability to finish off our chances," Wildcats Coach Marjorie Anderson said. "The [handball] penalty wasted so much in the final count."