M. Soccer Edges West Virginia, 1-0

Upperclassmen usually carry a team during its season opener as freshmen have bigger butterflies to battle.

But while the older guys maddeningly kept sending golden scoring opportunities wide, rookie forward Spencer George coolly found the back of the net to give the Harvard men's soccer team a 1-0 victory over West Virginia at Ohiri Field yesterday in a game Harvard otherwise dominated.

"We just weren't able to finish our chances," said Harvard Coach Steve Kerr. "It was a little first game jitters. I wish we could've gotten a goal in early because then I think we would've scored, two, three, four, five goals."

The goal, however, didn't come until 78:32 despite Harvard (1-0-0 ) outshooting the Mountaineers, 20-6. Freshmen midfielder Ladd Fritz found an unmarked George on the left side of the six-yard box and George punched it inside the far post.

The freshmen connection capitalized on a West Virginia defense that was visibly tiring under the weight of Harvard's attack. The Mountaineers (1-3-0), who had also suffered a grueling 2-1 overtime defeat at Providence on Saturday, collapsed on Fritz in the center of the field, allowing George to roam free on the left.

"[Fritz] held the ball just long enough to set me up perfectly," George said. "They nearly closed me off at the end, but I got it in."

The Crimson mounted the scoring chances early, as junior midfielder Michael Peller especially had a couple good shots, including one he sent just past the far left post from deep inside the box during the 38th minute. Ten minutes later, senior back Matt Ewards drilled a shot from 20 yards out that deflected past the right corner.

Sophomore midfielder Marc Buan, senior midfielder Wells Mangrum, and captain Ryan Kelly all contributed to the pressure on West Virginia keeper Kyle Swarts. Kelly led all Harvard players with five shots.

"We're a good ball possession team, we do a lot of movement off the ball. We move the ball quick," Kerr said. "In the first 25 minutes of the game I don't think they touched the ball hardly."

Harvard's ball control left relatively little to do for junior goalie Dan Mejias, who made four saves to earn his first career shutout. Mejias nearly lost his clean sheet in the 89th minute when one of West Virginia's freshmen, Mike Austin, had an empty net and trickled the shot wide left by a few inches.

"The most challenging part was keeping my head in the game," Mejias said. "We were going forward a lot, it was important to keep the defense organized...so their one opportunity on any of the counters wouldn't go in."

But it was the Crimson's freshmen that left a lasting mark on the game. Harvard has 15 rookies on its roster and Kerr placed three in his starting lineup. For better-or-worse, with only seven juniors and seniors combined on the squad this green group is Harvard's depth.

Back Isaac Kim, one of the three starters, particulary impressed, proving extremely tough on headers and keying Harvard's transition game.

"All the freshmen came in and made an immediate impact," Kerr said

Kim's rough play did land him into trouble, garnering a yellow card in the 85th minute for a hard foul. Edwards, Buan, and Peller also received cautions from the referee. Only one Mountaineer was booked.

"It was critical to get off on the right foot," George said. "Just for confidence, if we get on a roll it's much easier winning the next game after a victory than a defeat."

Next up for the Crimson is the Darmouth Invitational, where it will battle No. 13 Stanford on Saturday followed by cross-town rival Boston University on Sunday in Hanover, N.H.

Notes: Kerr invited Rev. Robert Buccharelli '56 into the locker room before the game to offer a prayer for the success of the new season. Buccharelli is associated with the Center for Opus Dei on Follen St. in Cambridge. (For most of the game however, divine intervention seemed to benefit the Mountaineers, given the number of Crimson chances that went wide. The Lord works in mysterious ways, and perhaps Austin's miss at the end balanced the ledger.)

The Crimson received a bit of a scare when sophomore back Joe Steffa collied with West Virginia senior Andy Koeing at the end of the first half. Steffa would eventually return to action.

Saturday's contest against Stanford offers Harvard another opportunity to notch the program's first victory over the Cardinal. The Crimson nearly stole a tie last year in Palo Alto, Calif., conceding a goal in the 87th minute to fall 1-0, despite getting outshot 26-6. Stanford is 4-0-0 all time against the Crimson.

Harvard received nine votes in the latest Soccertimes.com Top-25 poll, placing it tied for No. 32 in the nation with Fairfield and Yale.