M. Soccer Drops OT Thriller to Central Conn.

It is in those games that don't necessarily mean that much when you want to make a statement. Yesterday the Harvard men's soccer team traveled to Connecticut not only in search of its third victory of the year, but also to send a clear message to the powers that be in collegiate soccer.

Only three weeks into the season, the Crimson had already dropped two games-one a crucial league contest-and had already placed itself in a precarious wildcard situation come NCAA Tournament time.

Yesterday's result didn't help. Harvard (1-4, 0-1 Ivy) lost in overtime to Central Connecticut State University (2-7-0, 0-0-0 NEC) 1-0 at Silfen Field, and while the chase for the Ivy title remains unaffected, the Crimson have once again aided and abetted the other would-be bubble teams in Northeastern college soccer.

"We still plan on winning the Ivy title," sophomore back Chinezi Chijioke said. "As for the Northeast rankings, we try not to talk about them, but we know that they are very much up in the air right now."

"I think that right now we have to mainly concentrate on the Ivy games," said sophomore Cailan MacPherson. "Right now our region and national rankings won't be strong enough to get us into the tournament."

Fate materialized after 101 minutes of play when CLSU.'s Steven Agnessi looped a 20-yard shot over the outstretched arms of Harvard junior goalkeeper Jordan Dupuis.

"It was kind of a shock at the end of the game," MacPherson said. "We seemed to go to sleep in the second half. We gave them way too much, more than they deserved."

A similar predilection plagued Harvard in its last game against Yale, when it squandered an early 2-0 lead and left New Haven with a 3-2 loss. Abandoning its short-passing game and resorting solely on an air attack, the Crimson's attack floundered and mental lapses metastasized.

"We kind of played the ball straight from the back to the front without involving the key players in the midfield," Chijioke said. "I don't think fitness was a problem today-mental toughness was."

And to think, the first minute was so different.

Exploding off the first kick-off, Harvard created two scoring chances-and hit the post twice. Such offensive promise characterized the Crimson's first half, but gradually it began to show signs of masochism.

"It's frustrating, but I don't know what we can do to remedy [our mental lapses]," MacPherson said. "There are a few guys that are lacking confidence, so maybe that's a reason."

Perhaps it was one of those lulls which allowed Agnessi to penetrate the Harvard defensive zone and release the punishing blow. Then again maybe it was just a matter of time before Harvard's inability to score after over 100 minutes of play caught up to it.

"It was unlucky," said Chijioke. "But it works the other way too. Lady luck went both ways and we have to give CCSU credit for playing a tough game. We just have to play together."

A reprieve is nowhere in site for Harvard, who faces an even greater challenge this weekend at the Stanford/Nike Challenge. It is there, on the West Coast, where the Crimson hopes to reverse itsthe crimson hopes to reverse itsrecent fate.

"I think that California offers us a last chance of redemption," MacPherson said. "If we do well in California, which everyone wants to do, it will vault us into what we want to do. We need big wins and these games can offer us that." HARVARD  0 CENTRAL CONN.  1 Central Connecticut, 1-0 at Silfen Field, Central Connecticut CCSU  0  0  1  0  --  1 Harvard  0  0  0  0  --  0

G: CCSU-Steven Yanesy (unassisted);

S: Dupuis 5; CCSU-Gagnon 2

G: CCSU-Steven Yanesy (unassisted);

S: Dupuis 5; CCSU-Gagnon 2