W. Soccer Blanks UMass

In a battle of goalkeepers, junior netminder Cheryl Gunther led the Harvard women’s soccer team past the No. 23 Massachusetts, 2-0, yesterday afternoon at Ohiri Field.

Gunther made seven saves, including two highlight-worthy stops, to run her shutout streak to four games. The Crimson keeper, however, was quick to credit her defense.

“The defense really picked it up,” Gunther said. “We were a little disorganized a the beginning of the season [letting in five goals in Harvard’s opener] but we’ve improved a lot.”

Harvard head coach Tim Wheaton acknowledged his goaltender’s performance.

“She made a couple of great saves. It was the first time that she was really tested, and she rose to the occasion,” Wheaton said. “She’s playing better than she did as a freshman, when she led the league in goals-against average.”

The Crimson (4-1, 2-0 Ivy) scored its first goal 21 minutes into the match. Junior midfielder Orly Ripmaster—who, at 5’9, teamed with the 5’10 Gunther to make the Minutewomen (4-2) feel like minute women—took a free kick just beyond the box. Seeing senior UMass keeper Julie Podhrasky shifting right, Ripmaster hooked the ball over a wall of defenders and into the top left corner for her first goal of the season.

Following the goal, Ripmaster entertained the crowd with an NFL-style celebratory dance.

“[Junior striker] Beth Totman taught me that dance,” Ripmaster said. “She’s our celebratory queen.”

The Crimson’s second goal came with 17 minutes to play in the second half, when senior striker Caitlin Costello found fellow co-captain Colleen Moore open in the box. Moore’s shot was deflected back to Costello, who pushed the ball past Podhrasky for her team-leading fifth goal of the season.

After the Costello goal, the game continued without rhythm, though Harvard controlled most of the way.

Despite being outshot 8-7 in the second half, Harvard dominated most of the game. Gunther bailed her teammates out after a couple of defensive lapses, and the Crimson offense mounted consistent pressure.

The Crimson outshot the Minutewomen 17-12 overall.

Though his team only scored twice, Wheaton observed that statistics can often be misleading.

“We generated a lot of good chances. [Podhrasky] is very good. Statistics lie sometimes. If we take 17 shots a gsame, we’re gonna get goals,”he said.

Harvard’s next game is at home this Friday against No. 17 Marquette. Wheaton stressed the importance of this game.

“We have few opportunities against nationally ranked teams. It’s important to take advantage,” Wheaton said. “I’m happy we stepped up and did it today.

“We believe we’re a top-20 team,” Wheaton added.

With Gunther in fine form after four straight shutouts and the offense clicking, Harvard might find itself in the top 20 in the near future.