Belivacqua's Heroics Spur Crimson Upset

Last night in Amherst, No. 19 Harvard (7-3,3-1 Ivy) looked like they might fall to the No. 10 ranked Minutemen (6-3), but rode on the shoulders of senior attackman Jim Bevilacqua whose outstanding six goal performance lifted the Crimson to a 13-12 victory. The climax was the offensive star "getting Jimmy with it," scoring in spectacular fashion with only 12 seconds left to turn out the lights on their opponents. HARVARD  13 UMASS  12

The final period belonged to Bevilacqua (six goals, one assist) who answered the call three different times, drew two penalties, collected a crucial ground ball and generally carried the team on his back.

With the score tied at 12-12, the ball came to Bevilacqua with a minute and a half and he set up the finale with a true showman's flair. He jogged back and forth behind the net, stalling for the final shot and sizing up his prey.

With 20 seconds left, Bevilacqua initiated from behind the cage, on the goalie's right. He split dodged, so effectively that his defender slipped, which allowed him through. When he got within range of the crease, natural instinct took over.

Bevilacqua leaped into the crease and snuck the game-winner past the charging goalie John Kasselakis and then was buried under a heap of UMass defenders. After the referee's signal, he got the same treatment from his jubilant teammates.

"I walked him [the defender] for a minute, because I wanted to slow him down," Bevilacqua said. "I hadn't used my best move, my split dodge all day, so I wanted to go with that. He bit on the fake and I got to the crease. I leaped in and got into a little bit of trouble, but as soon as I let the ball go I knew it was in."

This spectacular, signature goal was the culmination of a lifelong athletic rivalry with Kasselakis who Belvilacqua first teamed with in the first grade.

The scenario for the final goal was set up by the senior's stellar play earlier in the final stanza. He scored 34 seconds in, driving past his man from behind the net, turning to his outside, and rifling it past Kasselakis, to give the Crimson an 11-10 lead.

At the other end, Massachusetts junior Jay Negus was also clutch, responding with two carbon copy goals to put the Minutemen up one.

Bevilacqua answered one minute after Negus' second, scoring on a flying dunk to tie the game at 12 with under five minutes to go.

Harvard got outstanding performances from senior middie Jared Chupaila, freshman face-off middie Adam McGowan and sophomore goalie Keith Cynar whose stopped a point blank shot with 1:56 left.

Harvard came out sizzling in the first period, scoring seven goals and posting a five goal lead. The first goal was scored by Lou Bevilacqua, who returned to action after sitting out the past five games with a knee injury.

UMass senior defenseman Harold Drumm halted the run with his first goal of the season, which extended a dubious streak, four consecutive games in which a longstick has scored.

However Chepaila answered with a goal of his own with only 30 seconds remaining to move the score to 7-2 at the end of the first. It was the finest period that Harvard has played this season and no one would have guessed that it would take a clutch goal to win the game.

"We got a tremendous effort in the first period. We played an attacking, aggressive style but remained poised," said Coach Scott Anderson. "We established ourselves as the better team early, but we had to wait till the very end of the game to prove it."

In the second half the Minutemen began to slowly claw their way back into the game behind the play of the an experienced corps of middies. After trading several goals, UMass got three consecutive scores to bring the tally to 9-6.

In the third period, the Minutemen continued where they left off, Alex Racioppi scoring and Chris Martens assisting Mike DelPercio twice.

Harvard's supporting cast did enough to keep the Crimson in the game and set up the exciting final 15 minutes of play.

If they dominate the rest of the way it will be difficult for the NCAA selection committee to deny them a berth.

And if they get there they will look back on that play, the "flying Jimmychanga," as what got them there.