Women's Soccer Spooked UConn

STORRS, Conn.--It was Halloween yesterday, and the Harvard women's soccer team was looking to treat itself to a win over the first top-notch, team it has played this season.

Unfortunately for Harvard, host UConn wasn't in a very giving mood, as the No.4 Huskies, well, tricked the No. 18 Crimson, by a final score of 3-0. Harvard (13-2-1,5-0-1 Ivy) wasn't exactly expecting to win, but the margin of loss was disconcerting to a team that has aspirations of making its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

"We're top 20 team and to prove that we are, we have to play top 20 teams," Harvard coach Tim Wheaton said. "I don't think [the Huskies] are three goals better than us, but they were today."

Harvard matched UConn (17-1-2) for most of the first half, but a goal in the final minute of the period set the somber tone for the rest of the game.

When Connecticut then came out and scored less than five minutes into the second half, the result was pretty much a given.

"[The goals] came at a great time for us and a pretty bad time for them," UConn coach Len Tsantiris said. "It was very tough psychologically for them to come back."

The main ingredient that has propelled the Huskies into the top four in the nation and what made the difference yesterday is their speed. Harvard has quickness on offense, but when a Harvard player was making a rush upfield, a UConn defender would invariably catch up and thwart any good scoring chance.

"They have tons and tons of speed," Wheaton said. "We would beat people and then they were fast enough to get back."

Harvard started out the game very flat in the first few minutes, but freshman goalie Jen Burney made two of her 11 saves early to keep the Huskies off the scoreboard.

The Crimson then settled down, but it couldn't generate much offensive pressure. While the Huskies had the better of play, it appeared that the teams would enter the intermission tied.

Trick.

Harvard's defense got caught ball-watching inside its own penalty box, and UConn sophomore Jana Carabino headed a feed from Anika Martinez into the center of the goal with just 34 ticks left in the half.

"Tactically, it was the worst time to lose a goal," said Burney, who was solid in goal, making a pair of diving stops. "It was a miscommunication--I don't think it will ever happen again."

The Huskies rode the momentum of that late goal right into the second half. They generated three solid scoring chances in the first three minutes before they finally got goal number two.

This time it was UConn's speed at work. Martinez received a pass from about 40 yards out and lofted the ball into the box. Margaret Tietjen zoomed to the ball first and directed it into the left corner at the 4:46 mark.

Kim Baverstock added extra insurance when she took a feed from Carabino inside the box and beat a helpless Burney with 26:16 left in the contest.

To its credit, Harvard never gave up and played its best soccer over the final 20 minutes. Stauffer was pretty much Harvard's offense for the day, as she was the only player to continually beat Husky defenders. Unfortunately for her, she seldom was able to find an open teammate to pass to.

Freshman Brynne Zuccaro had the best scoring chance of the day, as Stauffer fed her from the end-line, but UConn goalie Siobhan Harold made a diving stop with 17 minutes left.

"They are really talented," Stauffer said. "We've wanted competition all year, and they definitely gave it to us."

The loss pretty much puts Harvard on the bubble for making the 24-team NCAA Tournament. A schedule that really didn't have too many strong opponents outside of UConn might come back to haunt it come selection time.

"The fact that they did not play any teams like us [No. 13 Hartford and No. 16 UMass, the other two top 20 teams in the Northeast Region] is like putting all your eggs in one basket," Tsantiris said. "[Harvard] is a very good team--they are in the top four in the region, and they still have an outside chance."

What Harvard does have a solid chance of doing is winning the Ivy League title, which was goal number one when the season started. All it has to do is defeat arch-enemy Brown Saturday night for the crown.

"I haven't been more excited for a game in a long time," Stauffer said. Harvard  0 Connecticut  3

Connecticut 3-0 at Storrs, Conn. Harvard  0  0  --  0 Connecticut  1  2  --  3

Scoring

Con--Carabino 18 (Martinez, M. Tietjen) 44:26.

Con--M. Tietjen 11 (Martinez, Baverstock) 49:46

Con--Baverstock 4 (Carabino, M. Tietjen) 63:44.

Saves: Har---Bumey 5-6 11; Con--Harold 1 6 7.

Connecticut 3-0 at Storrs, Conn. Harvard  0  0  --  0 Connecticut  1  2  --  3

Scoring

Con--Carabino 18 (Martinez, M. Tietjen) 44:26.

Con--M. Tietjen 11 (Martinez, Baverstock) 49:46

Con--Baverstock 4 (Carabino, M. Tietjen) 63:44.

Saves: Har---Bumey 5-6 11; Con--Harold 1 6 7.

Scoring

Con--Carabino 18 (Martinez, M. Tietjen) 44:26.

Con--M. Tietjen 11 (Martinez, Baverstock) 49:46

Con--Baverstock 4 (Carabino, M. Tietjen) 63:44.

Saves: Har---Bumey 5-6 11; Con--Harold 1 6 7.