Red-Hot W. Soccer Travels to Princeton, Penn State

The women's soccer team continues its journey down the Yellow Brick Road this weekend--not to Oz, but to Pennsylvania, the land of Lions and Tigers.

After an early-season upset loss to the Brown Bears, the Harvard women's soccer team (9-2, 3-1 Ivy) has the chance to extend its seven-game winning streak and regain the top spot in the Ivy League standings when it kicks off against the Princeton Tigers tonight.

On Sunday, the Crimson completes its visit to Pennsylvania with a trip to Happy Valley and the No. 6 Penn State Nittany Lions (14-2-1, 8-0 Big Ten).

First things first, though--the Crimson must win tonight at Princeton to keep its dreams of a second consecutive Ivy League Championship alive.

"It's going to be a really crazy atmosphere down there," said senior back Brooke McCarthy. "Our first goal is to win the Ivy League, and we have to beat [Princeton] to do so."

Princeton (10-2, 4-0 Ivy) prides itself on a stingy defense that has allowed only four goals all season. Anchored by goalkeeper Jordan Rettig, who has posted seven shutouts this season, the Tigers have yet to surrender a goal to an Ivy League opponent.

Similar to Harvard's multifaceted offense, Princeton does not rely on any single player to carry the rest of the team on her shoulders. Instead, the Tigers feature a number of potential goal-scoring threats, including Theresa Sherry (5 goals, 1 assist) and Tanya Kalivas (3 goals, 1 assist).

Julie Shaner has also emerged as a clutch performer, netting the game-winner in a 1-0 win over Brown last Friday. Shaner's timely goal earned her a share of Ivy League Player of the Week honors with Harvard sophomore forward Joey Yenne.

Yenne's three goals in a 3-1 win over Yale last Saturday were pivotal, but the Crimson has the luxury of turning to any number of successful offensive combinations. By playing a possession-oriented style, in which it attacks up the wings and makes early crosses into the box, Harvard (9-2, 3-1 Ivy) has the ability to both control the flow of the game and to strike at any moment.

"In the beginning of the season our forwards weren't expecting the crosses," said outside midfielder Orly Ripmaster, who is often responsible for serving the ball from the wings into the box. "Now we're gelling and people are stepping up and finishing crosses."

While the Ivy League title is its first priority, Harvard is well aware that its weekend also includes a trip to vaunted Penn State. With three All-Americans, including U.S.Olympic team alternate Christie Welsh, sidelined with injuries, the Nittany Lions might not be as ferocious as they once were.

"[Penn State is] in a vulnerable state, and it would be great to capitalize on that," Yenne said.

Before it can worry about Penn State, however, the Crimson must do battle with an inspired Princeton team that would love nothing more than to dethrone the defending Ivy League champions.

The Crimson will need to possess the ball, control the tempo of the game and slide some through-balls into the box to keep the Tigers from shutting down the outside service.

Harvard couldn't ward off the Bears, and to overcome the Lions and Tigers, the Crimson may need one more element that they didn't have Sept. 23 in Providence.

Like the tinman, the Crimson realizes that there is more to defeating Lions and Tigers than just skill or strength.

"It all comes down to heart," Ripmaster said.

Having proven itself to opponents and ranking committees all year long, the Harvard women's soccer team now faces its toughest critic--the state of Pennsylvania.

The Crimson begin a do-or-die road trip tonight at Ivy League leader Princeton, and then travel to Happy Valley No. 6 ranked Penn State on Sunday