Ugly But Safe; Football Edges Out Princeton

Last Saturday's 14-12 victory over Princeton was huge for league standings because Harvard remained undefeated. But it was more important because Harvard showed a mental toughness during the fourth quarter which enabled a team that has lost so many close games in the past to come from behind to win.

Harvard (5-1, 3-0 Ivy) scored the final six points in the mud of Harvard Stadium during a crucial three-minute stretch in the middle of the fourth period, and sophomore kicker Mike Giampaolo's career-long 43-yard field goal proved to be the game-winner.

"I think God just helped me and put it through," Giampaolo said. "When I saw it was a high snap, I held off a little bit and hoped [senior holder Jared Chupaila would] put it down in time for my leg to be there in the right position."

On the crucial kick, Chupaila showed why he has been the Crimson's leading receiver this year, using great hands to snag a tough chance.

"As he was coming off the field, I grabbed Jared and said, 'that was a huge placement,'" said Harvard Coach Tim Murphy. "It was a little bit of a high-and-off snap."

Harvard was in position to kick a winning field goal because of the tough play of the defense throughout the entire contest.

Sophomore linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski recovered a fumbled snap with 7:08 to go in the game.

"I felt like the snap was a little late," said Princeton quarterback Harry Nakielny. "It hit me in the hands, I still should have got it. But it just wasn't with the timing I expected to get it."

If fate didn't have a role in that turn of events, consider that the previous field goal, a 21-yard boot set up by a 62-yard catch and run by senior Colby PRINCETON  12 HARVARD  14

Skelton, was tipped and still went through. Sophomore defensive tackle David Ferrara got a hand on the ball, but Giampaolo's kick skimmed barely over the crossbar.

"You could say that [we're a team of destiny]," Giampaolo said. "Someone was on our side up there."

Harvard might be a team of destiny, but it made its own destiny down the stretch.

"More than anything, our kids willed this win," Murphy said. "They were determined not to leave this field without a victory. I think the thing that made a difference was leadership and character."

"Having upperclassmen at key positions who have been through it, who really feel like they have ownership of the program, makes all the difference in the world. I think there was a confidence there that if we got this thing into the fourth quarter, we'd find a way to win it."

Harvard's defense made one last stand to secure the victory after Princeton took over with 1:44 to go in the game.

Princeton drove all the way down to the Harvard 49-yard line, but four straight incompletions gave the Crimson the hard-earned win.

"We basically saw our whole season coming down to that last two minutes, and that was the time to get it done," senior defensive tackle Chris Schaefer said. "Basically, your only focus point is to do whatever you can to get to the ball, to get to the quarterback, let it all hang out and just go for it."

It was just the kind of back-and-forth game which the final score indicated. But the relatively normal final score proved to be misleading, as the two teams put on an exhibition of unconventional scoring.

Princeton got ahead on a 36-yard field goal by Alex Sierk. On the ensuing possession, Harvard's long snapper, sophomore Nathan Dean, sailed a punt snap way over Giampaolo's head. The future game-winner scored his first two points for the other team, running out the back of the endzone for a safety and a 5-0 Princeton lead.

In the second quarter, Giampaolo made his first of four field goals to cap off a 75-yard drive that bogged down in the red zone. The game went into the half 5-3, but Princeton then snapped a ball out of the endzone on a punt attempt to tie the score at five. A 5-5 football game?

Harvard's defense, which made big plays the entire game, capitalized on Nakielny's inability to throw the ball to set up a go-ahead score. Senior safety Jay Snowden--a quarterback last year--snagged his first career interception and returned the ball 21 yards to the Tiger 26-yard line.

"Our coaches really looked into [Princeton's] offense, and we thought saw some things we could attack in certain formations," Snowden said. "I came in from the side and I don't think the quarterback saw me. I was reading his eyes."

After Giampaolo's first 21-yard field goal gave Harvard an 8-5 lead, Princeton scored the only touchdown of the game the next possession, a 65-yard bomb to junior wide receiver Ryan Crowley. The Tigers caught the Crimson blitzing, and Crowley beat sophomore Mike Madden for the score. The extra point made it 12-8, and that's when Harvard started making the big plays down the stretch which have been previously lacking.

The mud and rain created a game which was far from artistic. Nakielny completed only 6 of 32 attempts for 100 yards, most of which came on the touchdown.

He was 1-for-14 for minus-one yard in the first half and had half of his completions on the closing drive.

Meanwhile, Harvard's offense did not score a touchdown, breaking down in the red zone several times. Sophomore running back Chris Menick contributed a gutsy performance, rushing a school-record 42 times for 125 yards, but he only averaged 1.8 yards per carry in the second half.

"I knew going into the game that I'd be running the ball a lot because the weather would be bad," Menick said. "I was prepared mentally for that. But I give a lot of credit to Princeton's defense, because the yards were a lot harder to come by than last week [34 carries for 261 yards against Holy Cross]."

Sloppiness, due in part to the weather, slowed down both teams. Each team fumbled four times. Menick lost two fumbles, and another came when the snap back to the punter hit one of the upmen. Sophomore quarterback Rich Linden threw two interceptions in Princeton territory in the second quarter to end scoring threats, the second one being a great diving catch at the goalline by Princeton safety Ryan Demler.

The futility was by no means limited to Harvard, however. Out of the six combined possessions in the third quarter, four ended in turnovers and one in the second safety.

The difference in the game was that Harvard rid its system of turnovers before the fourth quarter, while Princeton made mistakes at crucial points of the game.

"A day like today, it's turnovers," Princeton Coach Steve Tosches said. "Turnovers, turnovers. Obviously, the weather had a factor."

The win sets up a huge matchup next week as Harvard visits Dartmouth in a matchup of the only two undefeated teams in Ivy league play.

HARVARD, 14-12 at Harvard StadiumPrinceton  5  0  0  7  --  12Harvard  0  3  2  9  --  1

Skelton, was tipped and still went through. Sophomore defensive tackle David Ferrara got a hand on the ball, but Giampaolo's kick skimmed barely over the crossbar.

"You could say that [we're a team of destiny]," Giampaolo said. "Someone was on our side up there."

Harvard might be a team of destiny, but it made its own destiny down the stretch.

"More than anything, our kids willed this win," Murphy said. "They were determined not to leave this field without a victory. I think the thing that made a difference was leadership and character."

"Having upperclassmen at key positions who have been through it, who really feel like they have ownership of the program, makes all the difference in the world. I think there was a confidence there that if we got this thing into the fourth quarter, we'd find a way to win it."

Harvard's defense made one last stand to secure the victory after Princeton took over with 1:44 to go in the game.

Princeton drove all the way down to the Harvard 49-yard line, but four straight incompletions gave the Crimson the hard-earned win.

"We basically saw our whole season coming down to that last two minutes, and that was the time to get it done," senior defensive tackle Chris Schaefer said. "Basically, your only focus point is to do whatever you can to get to the ball, to get to the quarterback, let it all hang out and just go for it."

It was just the kind of back-and-forth game which the final score indicated. But the relatively normal final score proved to be misleading, as the two teams put on an exhibition of unconventional scoring.

Princeton got ahead on a 36-yard field goal by Alex Sierk. On the ensuing possession, Harvard's long snapper, sophomore Nathan Dean, sailed a punt snap way over Giampaolo's head. The future game-winner scored his first two points for the other team, running out the back of the endzone for a safety and a 5-0 Princeton lead.

In the second quarter, Giampaolo made his first of four field goals to cap off a 75-yard drive that bogged down in the red zone. The game went into the half 5-3, but Princeton then snapped a ball out of the endzone on a punt attempt to tie the score at five. A 5-5 football game?

Harvard's defense, which made big plays the entire game, capitalized on Nakielny's inability to throw the ball to set up a go-ahead score. Senior safety Jay Snowden--a quarterback last year--snagged his first career interception and returned the ball 21 yards to the Tiger 26-yard line.

"Our coaches really looked into [Princeton's] offense, and we thought saw some things we could attack in certain formations," Snowden said. "I came in from the side and I don't think the quarterback saw me. I was reading his eyes."

After Giampaolo's first 21-yard field goal gave Harvard an 8-5 lead, Princeton scored the only touchdown of the game the next possession, a 65-yard bomb to junior wide receiver Ryan Crowley. The Tigers caught the Crimson blitzing, and Crowley beat sophomore Mike Madden for the score. The extra point made it 12-8, and that's when Harvard started making the big plays down the stretch which have been previously lacking.

The mud and rain created a game which was far from artistic. Nakielny completed only 6 of 32 attempts for 100 yards, most of which came on the touchdown.

He was 1-for-14 for minus-one yard in the first half and had half of his completions on the closing drive.

Meanwhile, Harvard's offense did not score a touchdown, breaking down in the red zone several times. Sophomore running back Chris Menick contributed a gutsy performance, rushing a school-record 42 times for 125 yards, but he only averaged 1.8 yards per carry in the second half.

"I knew going into the game that I'd be running the ball a lot because the weather would be bad," Menick said. "I was prepared mentally for that. But I give a lot of credit to Princeton's defense, because the yards were a lot harder to come by than last week [34 carries for 261 yards against Holy Cross]."

Sloppiness, due in part to the weather, slowed down both teams. Each team fumbled four times. Menick lost two fumbles, and another came when the snap back to the punter hit one of the upmen. Sophomore quarterback Rich Linden threw two interceptions in Princeton territory in the second quarter to end scoring threats, the second one being a great diving catch at the goalline by Princeton safety Ryan Demler.

The futility was by no means limited to Harvard, however. Out of the six combined possessions in the third quarter, four ended in turnovers and one in the second safety.

The difference in the game was that Harvard rid its system of turnovers before the fourth quarter, while Princeton made mistakes at crucial points of the game.

"A day like today, it's turnovers," Princeton Coach Steve Tosches said. "Turnovers, turnovers. Obviously, the weather had a factor."

The win sets up a huge matchup next week as Harvard visits Dartmouth in a matchup of the only two undefeated teams in Ivy league play.

HARVARD, 14-12 at Harvard StadiumPrinceton  5  0  0  7  --  12Harvard  0  3  2  9  --  1

"You could say that [we're a team of destiny]," Giampaolo said. "Someone was on our side up there."

Harvard might be a team of destiny, but it made its own destiny down the stretch.

"More than anything, our kids willed this win," Murphy said. "They were determined not to leave this field without a victory. I think the thing that made a difference was leadership and character."

"Having upperclassmen at key positions who have been through it, who really feel like they have ownership of the program, makes all the difference in the world. I think there was a confidence there that if we got this thing into the fourth quarter, we'd find a way to win it."

Harvard's defense made one last stand to secure the victory after Princeton took over with 1:44 to go in the game.

Princeton drove all the way down to the Harvard 49-yard line, but four straight incompletions gave the Crimson the hard-earned win.

"We basically saw our whole season coming down to that last two minutes, and that was the time to get it done," senior defensive tackle Chris Schaefer said. "Basically, your only focus point is to do whatever you can to get to the ball, to get to the quarterback, let it all hang out and just go for it."

It was just the kind of back-and-forth game which the final score indicated. But the relatively normal final score proved to be misleading, as the two teams put on an exhibition of unconventional scoring.

Princeton got ahead on a 36-yard field goal by Alex Sierk. On the ensuing possession, Harvard's long snapper, sophomore Nathan Dean, sailed a punt snap way over Giampaolo's head. The future game-winner scored his first two points for the other team, running out the back of the endzone for a safety and a 5-0 Princeton lead.

In the second quarter, Giampaolo made his first of four field goals to cap off a 75-yard drive that bogged down in the red zone. The game went into the half 5-3, but Princeton then snapped a ball out of the endzone on a punt attempt to tie the score at five. A 5-5 football game?

Harvard's defense, which made big plays the entire game, capitalized on Nakielny's inability to throw the ball to set up a go-ahead score. Senior safety Jay Snowden--a quarterback last year--snagged his first career interception and returned the ball 21 yards to the Tiger 26-yard line.

"Our coaches really looked into [Princeton's] offense, and we thought saw some things we could attack in certain formations," Snowden said. "I came in from the side and I don't think the quarterback saw me. I was reading his eyes."

After Giampaolo's first 21-yard field goal gave Harvard an 8-5 lead, Princeton scored the only touchdown of the game the next possession, a 65-yard bomb to junior wide receiver Ryan Crowley. The Tigers caught the Crimson blitzing, and Crowley beat sophomore Mike Madden for the score. The extra point made it 12-8, and that's when Harvard started making the big plays down the stretch which have been previously lacking.

The mud and rain created a game which was far from artistic. Nakielny completed only 6 of 32 attempts for 100 yards, most of which came on the touchdown.

He was 1-for-14 for minus-one yard in the first half and had half of his completions on the closing drive.

Meanwhile, Harvard's offense did not score a touchdown, breaking down in the red zone several times. Sophomore running back Chris Menick contributed a gutsy performance, rushing a school-record 42 times for 125 yards, but he only averaged 1.8 yards per carry in the second half.

"I knew going into the game that I'd be running the ball a lot because the weather would be bad," Menick said. "I was prepared mentally for that. But I give a lot of credit to Princeton's defense, because the yards were a lot harder to come by than last week [34 carries for 261 yards against Holy Cross]."

Sloppiness, due in part to the weather, slowed down both teams. Each team fumbled four times. Menick lost two fumbles, and another came when the snap back to the punter hit one of the upmen. Sophomore quarterback Rich Linden threw two interceptions in Princeton territory in the second quarter to end scoring threats, the second one being a great diving catch at the goalline by Princeton safety Ryan Demler.

The futility was by no means limited to Harvard, however. Out of the six combined possessions in the third quarter, four ended in turnovers and one in the second safety.

The difference in the game was that Harvard rid its system of turnovers before the fourth quarter, while Princeton made mistakes at crucial points of the game.

"A day like today, it's turnovers," Princeton Coach Steve Tosches said. "Turnovers, turnovers. Obviously, the weather had a factor."

The win sets up a huge matchup next week as Harvard visits Dartmouth in a matchup of the only two undefeated teams in Ivy league play.

HARVARD, 14-12 at Harvard StadiumPrinceton  5  0  0  7  --  12Harvard  0  3  2  9  --  1