NEW HAVEN, CONN.-Perhaps it's no coincidence that in Spanish, "nada"--as in Yale goalkeeper Nada Sellers--means " nothing."
Because nothing is precisely what the Harvard field hockey team (3-8-4 overall, 2-2-2 Ivy) had put on the scoreboard in its last three meetings with the Bulldogs (7-6-2 overall, 2-2-2 Ivy) and their stupendous netminder.
But nothing--thanks to Crimson midfielder Bambi Taylor--became something at 18:57 of the second half in Saturday's contest at the Women's Field Hockey Field in New Haven, Conn.
Taylor took a pass from midfielder Jane Grim outside the penalty circle, drove to within 15 feet of the Eli goal and smashed a shot that bounded past a stunned Sellars and into the net.
"Bambi saw that their goalie was out of position and took advantage of it," Harvard Co-Captain Anne Kelly said.
Taylor's score--her first of the year--lifted the stickwomen into a 1-1 tie with the Elis.
After the end of regulation and two overtimes, the score remained the same.
The deadlock in the season finale for both teams dropped Harvard into a four-way tie for second place in the Ivy League. Penn had already sealed first place--and its third Ivy crown--with a 3-0 rout of Dartmouth two weeks ago.
The Crimson might have won sole rights to second place had a Kelly goal early in the first half been allowed. But the officials ruled that Kelly's shot--off a corner pass from Co-Captain Alicia Clifton--was lifted.
The Cantabs thought otherwise.
"Definitely, that first goal should have counted," Crimson Coach Nita Lamborghini said. "It ran smoothly along the grass for seven yards and then hit a bump. There was nothing wrong with it."
Harvard--which had dominated the game up to that point--became dispirited when the goal was disallowed.
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