The Harvard women's lacrosse team must have been thinking, "What fool put that goalpost there," in Saturday's season-opening game against Penn at Soldiers Field.

Ping. Ping. Ping.

The Crimson nailed the goalpost three times in the first three minutes, but recovered to slip five other shots into the net for a 5-1 win.

The miracle work of Penn goalie Wendy DiDomenico, along with Harvard's close-but-no-cigar shots kept the score low, but the Crimson (1-0 overall, 1-0 Ivy) dominated the game from beginning to end.

First half--the defense was yawning and the offense got shooting practice.

Karen Everling confused the Penn defense with a stick switch before blasting home the first goal. With 11:36 remaining in the half, she stunned DiDomenico with another.

The defense held off Penn for most of the first half, with some well-timed double teaming by Nicole DeHoratius and stinging checks by Julia French.

The Penn offense spent little time in the goal area before Harvard's defense bullied the ball away from them and reeled it back up the field. The relentless Crimson defense made up for the frustrated offense.

"Oh my God, they're so solid," DeHoratius said about her defensive colleagues. "They're great. It's so great because I have the confidence in them to hold [our opponent's team] back."

Penn stole the momentum for some of the first half when Carrie Vesely landed a goal with 3:17 left.

Ceci Clark took the draw and fed it to the Crimson offense, who drove down the field and missed the shot. DiDomenico robbed shot after shot before Co-Captain Katie McAnaney sailed one past her with 27 seconds left in the half.

Second half--same story, less intensity.

Harvard goalie Kelly Dermody didn't let another shot in and the defense continued to terrorize Penn's offense.

McAnaney, Joslin and Co-Captain Lesi Bailliere carried off a nearly flawless transition from defense to offense, with fast, effective cuts. Yet the smooth midfield play ended in an offensive quagmire.

"Unfortunately we didn't connect on all the shots like we could have," McAnaney said. "The goalie was good but we made her look even better."

Sympathy

Harvard Coach Carol Kleinfelder was more sympathetic.

"Our attack's shot selection could have been better," Kleinfelder admitted, "but I thought Penn's goalie was outstanding. She kept them in the game."

Joslin drew a foul and broke Harvard's jinx on a bounce-shot goal with 16:30 remaining in the second half.

The Crimson monopolized the ball for the end of the second half, but couldn't poke it in the net.

Still, after Harvard's shaky play in the William & Mary tournament last weekend, the team was thrilled with the win.

"I think it's a nice opener for us," Kleinfelder said. "We should have just been more poised on attack. We're going to have to do that against Princeton."

THE NOTEBOOK: The Crimson plays at Princeton next Saturday and Maryland next Sunday before returning home after spring break to host Yale April 5.