Friars Sermonize M. Soccer

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

In a match that featured a new-look lineup--and the return of junior mid-fielder Armando Petruccelli after a year off--the result was the same for the Harvard men's soccer team, as it dropped a 2-1 decision at Providence and is now winless through four games. HARVARD  1 PROVIDENCE  2

The Crimson (0-3-1, 0-1 Ivy) squandered an early one-nil advantage, surrendering a pair of goals to sophomore midfielder Kevin Jones as the Friars (2-5-0, 1-2 Big East) picked up their second straight win.

"We're disappointed because we should have held on to win," co-captain Andrew Lundquist said. "For the first 30 minutes we completely dominated the game: our offense was clicking and controlling the middle of the field. Then things just fell apart."

Harvard Coach Steve Locker started Petruccelli--who had not suited up in a Crimson jersey since the 1996 NCAA tournament--at center middle, switching junior Will Hench to the wing. Locker also worked seven freshmen into the lineup over the course of the match.

This revamped offense played some of the Crimson's best soccer of 1998, generating a quality scoring opportunity in the 34th minute. Freshman forward Jonathan Oslowski--who assisted on the Crimson's lone goal last Saturday against Columbia--netted his first collegiate goal off a nicely executed rush that staked the Crimson to a 1-0 lead.

Petruccelli started the attack by feeding freshman midfielder Nick Lenichek, who had beaten his defender down the left sideline. Lenichek rushed to the end-line, then fired a low crossing pass toward the Friar box.

Oslowski collected the cross in front of net and beat Providence keeper Daniel Pires to the far corner, converting to give Harvard its first lead of the 1998 campaign.

"It felt awesome," Oslowski said. "To score the goal and have five or six guys come running over and grab you in celebration--it's a great feeling."

But the Crimson's euphoria was short-lived. Jones struck for the equalizer in the 40th minute when Oslowski was dispossessed in the midfield by Providence forward Andrew McConville.

McConville then slipped a pass through the Harvard backfield for Jones, who emerged with a one-on-one breakaway and beat co-captain Jordan Dupuis.

"Our defense in the first three games was pretty good," Lundquist said. "But today it seemed like everybody was in the wrong place at the wrong time. [On the first goal] we just didn't respond quickly enough."

Providence closed out the match with a go-ahead goal in the 71st minute, again off the boot of Jones. In a crowded box, midfielder Andrew Bussmann's pass was deflected over to Jones, who drove a hard shot from 15 feet out to beat Dupuis.

"On that goal, the defense just didn't tackle," Lundquist said.

And so another match fell by the wayside, and though Locker's team is young, the imperative to nail down a victory is mounting.

"We definitely need to play with a sense of urgency, but we need to keep our composure, too," Oslowski said. "We're trying to focus on Ivy League games right now, and getting the automatic bid to the NCAAs."

The Crimson will have ample opportunity to showcase its Ivy mettle in the program's 1,000th game this Saturday against Yale at Ohiri Field.

Risky as it is to call the matchup a must-win, being down 0-2 in a seven-game league schedule will make a title run difficult.

But Locker's youth-friendly lineup and the addition of Petruccelli allowed the Crimson to showcase, at least for a third of the match, a highly effective offensive package. Granted, no finisher has yet emerged, but yesterday's first half did provide cause for optimism.

"We demonstrated today that we can control a game," Lundquist said. "The way our offense was working made it look like 1996. Now the question is to do it for 90 minutes instead of 30." PROVIDENCE, 2-1 at Providence, R.I. Harvard  1  0  --  1 Providence  1  1  --  2

Scoring

Har--Oslowski 1 (Petrucelli, Lenicheck) 33:27.

Providence--Jones 1 (McConville) 39:20.

Providence--Jones 2 (Bussman) 70:38.

Saves: Har--Dupuis 4; Prov--Pires 6.

The Crimson (0-3-1, 0-1 Ivy) squandered an early one-nil advantage, surrendering a pair of goals to sophomore midfielder Kevin Jones as the Friars (2-5-0, 1-2 Big East) picked up their second straight win.

"We're disappointed because we should have held on to win," co-captain Andrew Lundquist said. "For the first 30 minutes we completely dominated the game: our offense was clicking and controlling the middle of the field. Then things just fell apart."

Harvard Coach Steve Locker started Petruccelli--who had not suited up in a Crimson jersey since the 1996 NCAA tournament--at center middle, switching junior Will Hench to the wing. Locker also worked seven freshmen into the lineup over the course of the match.

This revamped offense played some of the Crimson's best soccer of 1998, generating a quality scoring opportunity in the 34th minute. Freshman forward Jonathan Oslowski--who assisted on the Crimson's lone goal last Saturday against Columbia--netted his first collegiate goal off a nicely executed rush that staked the Crimson to a 1-0 lead.

Petruccelli started the attack by feeding freshman midfielder Nick Lenichek, who had beaten his defender down the left sideline. Lenichek rushed to the end-line, then fired a low crossing pass toward the Friar box.

Oslowski collected the cross in front of net and beat Providence keeper Daniel Pires to the far corner, converting to give Harvard its first lead of the 1998 campaign.

"It felt awesome," Oslowski said. "To score the goal and have five or six guys come running over and grab you in celebration--it's a great feeling."

But the Crimson's euphoria was short-lived. Jones struck for the equalizer in the 40th minute when Oslowski was dispossessed in the midfield by Providence forward Andrew McConville.

McConville then slipped a pass through the Harvard backfield for Jones, who emerged with a one-on-one breakaway and beat co-captain Jordan Dupuis.

"Our defense in the first three games was pretty good," Lundquist said. "But today it seemed like everybody was in the wrong place at the wrong time. [On the first goal] we just didn't respond quickly enough."

Providence closed out the match with a go-ahead goal in the 71st minute, again off the boot of Jones. In a crowded box, midfielder Andrew Bussmann's pass was deflected over to Jones, who drove a hard shot from 15 feet out to beat Dupuis.

"On that goal, the defense just didn't tackle," Lundquist said.

And so another match fell by the wayside, and though Locker's team is young, the imperative to nail down a victory is mounting.

"We definitely need to play with a sense of urgency, but we need to keep our composure, too," Oslowski said. "We're trying to focus on Ivy League games right now, and getting the automatic bid to the NCAAs."

The Crimson will have ample opportunity to showcase its Ivy mettle in the program's 1,000th game this Saturday against Yale at Ohiri Field.

Risky as it is to call the matchup a must-win, being down 0-2 in a seven-game league schedule will make a title run difficult.

But Locker's youth-friendly lineup and the addition of Petruccelli allowed the Crimson to showcase, at least for a third of the match, a highly effective offensive package. Granted, no finisher has yet emerged, but yesterday's first half did provide cause for optimism.

"We demonstrated today that we can control a game," Lundquist said. "The way our offense was working made it look like 1996. Now the question is to do it for 90 minutes instead of 30." PROVIDENCE, 2-1 at Providence, R.I. Harvard  1  0  --  1 Providence  1  1  --  2

Scoring

Har--Oslowski 1 (Petrucelli, Lenicheck) 33:27.

Providence--Jones 1 (McConville) 39:20.

Providence--Jones 2 (Bussman) 70:38.

Saves: Har--Dupuis 4; Prov--Pires 6.

Scoring

Har--Oslowski 1 (Petrucelli, Lenicheck) 33:27.

Providence--Jones 1 (McConville) 39:20.

Providence--Jones 2 (Bussman) 70:38.

Saves: Har--Dupuis 4; Prov--Pires 6.