Momentum and Ranking on the Line in Harvard-BC Game

The stakes are high.

The similarities are striking.

And for both teams, a win on Sunday could provide the momentum and ranking necessary for an NCAA run later in the season.

Indeed, it is still early in the season, but when the men's soccer team hosts Boston College this Sunday at 1pm at Ohiri Field, there will be more on the line than just local bragging rights.

"This game is huge for us," said sophomore sweeper Mike Lobach. "Its almost as big a game as an Ivy League [game], and will set the tone for the rest of our season."

Both Harvard (3-2-1) and Boston College (5-2) find themselves on the verge of breakthrough seasons. With the Eagles currently ranked eighth in the New England region and the Crimson close behind at No. 10, Sunday's non-conference match will have considerable implications in the regional picture.

After a five-win campaign in 1999, Boston College has benefited from the emergence of a solid young core of players. Led by sophomore forward Casey Schmidt, who has already notched game-winning goals against Providence and Seton Hall, and senior goalkeeper Chris Hamblin, who ranks 16th in the nation with a .68 goals against average, the Eagles have already matched their win total from a year ago.

Even more significant for head coach Ed Kelly has been the success of his team in Big East play. Aside from a 1-0 setback to Rutgers on September 22, the Eagles have soared through conference play, shutting out Notre Dame and Villanova, in addition to Providence and Seton Hall.

Physical play and solid defending have been the Boston College trademarks this season. With a team defense that ranks 10th nationally in goals against average, the Eagles have consistently kept opposing attacks at bay.

The strength of this defensive unit, anchored by Hamblin in net, will provide Harvard with a fierce test.

Although they own a respectable 3-2-1 record, the Crimson could be two wins richer. Both a disappointing 2-2 draw with Boston University at the Dartmouth Invitational on September 17, and a well-fought 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Brown Bears last Sunday could have been victories had the ball bounced differently once or twice.

For a Crimson squad that has had difficulty converting scoring opportunities, solving the Boston College defense will be an entire team effort.

The Crimson attack, which has focused primarily upon putting the ball at the feet of playmaker and captain Ryan Kelly, will need to diversify its look and adopt the well-known Dutch tactic of whole team attacking and defending.

"It will take all ten of us [field players] moving up and back," Lobach said, who, as sweeper, is the last man on the defensive unit before the goalkeeper. "We worked on this in practice and made some changes."

These tactical adjustments should not be difficult for second-year head coach John Kerr's team to implement. For a Crimson team that features a deep roster laden with young talent eager to prove themselves, hustle and aggression, two major facets of "whole field soccer," should not be difficult to come by.

With Ivy League foe Cornell slated for October 7, this Sunday seems to be the ideal time for the Crimson to find its scoring touch. While a loss will not derail Harvard from reaching its goal of winning an Ivy League championship and making it to the NCAA tournament, a win can certainly propel them in the right direction.

Sunday's match is first about momentum and regional ranking, and secondly about intra-city rivalry.

But for both Boston College and Harvard, two resurgent teams flowing with young talent, the chance to bolster their own post-season hopes at the expense of each other makes the stakes just a little bit higher.