"Eddie Chen saved us from being totally humiliated," Benson said.
A solid team effort was noticeably lacking on the offensive side as well. The Crimson was not only marred by missed passes and frequent turnovers, but it was also the victim of the aggressive, physical style of the UMass defense.
Thus scoring opportunities were not as plentiful as the team desperately needed.
"We didn't take enough shots," Benson said. "Playing against a team like UMass, you don't get many scoring opportunities. When the chance to score comes up, that window of opportunity only lasts a few seconds. We weren't getting the ball there fast enough."
The effort put forth by UMass Friday night was not necessarily greater than that of Harvard. It was simply more choesive and coordinated-a true team effort.
In terms of the individual, Harvard is both powerful and capable. But individual ability alone won't win games-a lesson the Harvard men's water polo team has learned, the hard way.