Key to Stickwomen-Northeastern Game? The Grass (Not That Grass)

If the Harvard field hockey team were to brew a magical potion to beat 13th-ranked Northeastern today at Cumncok Field, one major ingredient would be grass.

Thick, rich, clumps of green grass.

The type that slows teams down, trips players up, stops passes and shots dead between its blades. The type of grass that Harvard (3-7-2 overall, 1-3-2 Ivy) has so carefully nurtured on Cumnock Field.

Northeastern (11-5-1) hates the stuff, and when the Crimson steps onto the pitch, it knows that Cumnock's lawn will be its greatest ally.

The Huskies are predominantly a turf team--to say the least. Northeastern has been winless in its last four conests, all of which have been on grass.

And with those losses, the Huskies have dropped 8 places in the national rankings in one week, from fifth to 13th.

But the Crimson can't just sit back and let Northeastern beat itself with errors.

The Huskies are still a powerful team, and the Crimson has had problems of its own lately. Harvard is coming off Saturday's tear-jerking 3-2 loss to Princeton in which the Crimson saw 2-1 lead vanish before its eyes.

Harvard dropped to fifth in the Ancient Eight and with all hopes of a second Ivy title in tiny crumbs on the floor of this season, the Crimson is just hoping that it can find a way to win its last three games--starting today.

"We just need to come and play hard," Harvard Coach Sue Caples said. "It's time to make it happen. We've got to learn to win again."

Wilson and Wilkes Tough

The Crimson will need to watch Northeastern's top scorers, Becky Wilson and Kelly Wilkes who have tallied 11 goals and dished out 12 assists between them.

"Wilkes is their strongest player," Caples said. "Its almost a one person show."

Caples said that Harvard will also try to use the grass against Northeastern to its fullest extent.

"We're going to pin them in the corner and make them make a lot of passes in the grass. We have to cut down their long game," Caples said.

No Belisle?

One thing that may work against the Crimson, however, is the possible absence of junior Amy Belisle.

Belisle, who was sidelined by a stress fracture against Boston College a week ago, had to leave the Princeton game early and is questionable for today's contest.

The Crimson sorely missed the veteran sweeper against the Eagles and the Tigers and will need Belisle to stop the Huskies' powerful attack to pull out a win.

Game for Pride

The contest does not mean much in terms of records or titles or berths in the NCAA tournament. It has more to do with pride than anything else.

"You need to play well at home," Caples said. "We need to reestablish our home field advantage."

Could that advantage possibly be something as simple as grass today?

Yup.