Since the convincing win against Columbia two weeks ago, the Harvard men's soccer team has suffered a number of injuries to key players and has been inconsistent in its intensity. It seemed as if the team was in need of an emotional boost to push them through the middle of their schedule.
The Crimson may have just found it.
Saturday's game against Yale at New Haven, always an emotional contest, was one of the most intense efforts put forth by Harvard all season.
And at the end of the day, despite miserable weather, Harvard (5-4-2 overall, 3-1-0 Ivy) came away with a 3-1 win over yale (3-6-1, 0-3-0).
"We played our heart yesterday," junior forward Will Kohler said.
Kohler especially played his heart out, to the dismay of the Yale fans, who hounded Kohler all afternoon.
Harvard's first goal came at the 10 minute mark, when Kohler sent a direct kick to junior midfielder T.J. Carella, who was charging the net.
The crafty Carella approached the ball, but instead of kicking it, he let it go through his legs--goading the goalie into diving where Carella faked his kick, allowing the ball to find its way into the net.
"He totally fooled the goalie," Kohler said.
Yale came back to tie the game on a penalty kick, leaving the games tied after the first half.
The Crimson, aware of the importance of this game from an emotional standpoint, would not be denied. And it would be the Yale' fans favorite player, Kohler, who led the second half charge.
Kohler had been suffering from leg cramps for much of the game, and had to leave at one point because of the pain. Yale's fans wouldn't let up, and turned up their harassment as Kohler took his seat on the bench.
And at that point, enough was enough for Kohler.
With a little more than 15 minutes remaining in the game, Kohler took a feed from captain Chris Wojcik at the corner of the penalty box and he fired a shot at the far post, beyond the reach of Yale's goalie, to give Harvard a 2-1 lead.
Kohler, having taken so much abuse from Yale's fans, decided to return the favor.
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