M. Lacrosse Pastes BC 19-3 In Blowout, Ready for Ivy League

The men's lacrosse team used goals from twelve different players on their way to a 19-3 rout of Boston College in front of a small but stalwart crowd at Ohiri Field this weekend. Captain Mike Ferrucci and classmate Doug Crofton each had six points to lead a potent attack as Harvard moved to 2-0 on the season.

Even without senior midfielder Lou Bevilacqua, out with an injured knee, the Crimson had too much firepower for the hapless Eagles to handle. Owen Leary and Crofton tested B.C. goalie Anthony Cirri three times early before fellow senior Jared Chupaila scored, bouncing a shot five-hole.

Ferruci scored twice and had an assist as the Crimson established a 7-0 lead halfway through the second quarter, when freshman Mike Adair finally scored for the Eagles after a penalty left the hosts shorthanded.

Harvard responded with a terrific transition play, the ball passing through four sticks in succession before senior Jim Bevilacqua decked the goaltender to his knees and scored. He then fed sophomore attackman Lawson Devries who scored in spectacular fashion, diving across the crease and quick-sticking the pass in, as Harvard built a 13-2 halftime lead.

Aggressive defense from both the middies and the close-defense unit stymied a B.C. offense that only managed to score off Crimson miscues: a penalty, a dropped ball, and a deflection for a goal. Kevin Maclane, B.C.'s leading scorer, was held to a goal and an assist.

The strong defensive effort and the domination of possession time meant a relaxing day for the goalkeepers. Keith Cynar started and played the first half and Ely Kahn, Art Chen and Matt O'Hare split time in the second. The group faced a meager 22 shots between them.

Harvard has dominated its first two games, outscoring its opponents by 37-7 margin, but perhaps more importantly has had a very team-oriented attack.

"We are stressing passing and team play this year," Ferrucci said of the team's offensive approach. "We want to use our biggest strength, our midfielders dodging, to score as well as open up opportunities for the attack, instead of relying on isolations as we did last year."

This approach has yielded big dividends--thirteen of Saturday's goals were assisted--while complementing a transition game which has been energized by the addition of fresh legs on both the offensive and defensive end.

Harvard will look to continue its solid play against Pennsylvania this Saturday in its Ivy League opener.