As the old adage says, the only statistic that matters is the final score. Whether that is good or bad for the Harvard women's soccer team is debatable.
Despite numerous scoring opportunities, Harvard (4-2-1, 2-0 Ivy) had to settle for a 1-1 tie against Boston University (4-4-1) yesterday at Ohiri Field after Harvard sophomore back Lauren Corkery and B.U. sophomore forward Deidre Enos exchanged goals in regulation.
"I thought we came out a little soft but battled back and had our chances to win it," Coach Tim Wheaton said, "We dominated for most of the game, but you can't come out soft against anybody."
The Crimson outshot the Terriers, 17-12, and registered nine corner kicks to B.U.'s two. Those statistics suggest that Harvard wasted an opportunity for victory.
The fact is, however, that the Crimson was fortunate to salvage a deadlock. With under five minutes remaining in the second half, Harvard's defeat appeared certain until Corkery's heroics evened the match.
Trailing 1-0 with time winding down, Harvard senior back Ashley Marynick prepared to take a corner kick. Wheaton, sensing the urgency of the situation, sent 5'10" junior sweeper Jessica Larson into the Terriers' box, leaving Corkery as the lone defender in the middle.
Marynick's kick came sailing into a crowd of players in front of the B.U. net and was cleared in Corkery's direction. From about 35 yards out, Crockery lofted the ball back into the box where it carried and sneaked into the goal, just under the crossbar and just over the outstretched arms of stunned B.U. goalkeeper Meghan Lynch.
"It felt great; it was awesome," Corkery said. "I really, really wanted to beat B.U., and I knew we could not just walk away with a loss. That would have been awful."
The same Harvard team that had looked impressively sharp in its last three contests played rather haphazardly against B.U.
Harvard's forwards had trouble creating adequate separation and finding open spots in the Terriers' zone defense. When the Crimson's players did show, Harvard's passing was uncharacteristically sloppy.
Still, Harvard maintained its composure throughout the match, working the ball back through its defense rather than sending long passes into the Terriers' end. But the B.U. defense was unrelenting and packed itself in front of its goal for much of regulation, not allowing Harvard to get off strong shots.
"[B.U.] is a good team," Wheaton said. "They fought hard, they did a good job, and they have a lot of talent."
From the start of the match, it was clear that B.U. would pose a significant challenge to Harvard. In the second minute of play, B.U. sophomore forward Mary-Beth Magner came open in front of Harvard junior goalkeeper Anne Browning but shot high over the goal.
Just three-and-a-half minutes later, B.U. sophomore midfielder Teresa Petrucelli's shot beat Browning but hit the right post. Therebound came to Enos who had an open net, but Harvard freshman Jenine Ghani made an excellent defensive play, sliding in front of Enos's shot to save a goal.
"We definitely have a solid defense," Corkery said. "We're pumped for every game. That's pretty key."
Ghani was starting in place of senior Jaime Chu who was ill. Harvard was also without the services of its leading scorer, junior forward Gina Foster. Foster suffered a sprained ankle in Saturday's 2-1 victory over Yale and is expected to miss about two weeks.
The Terriers were the aggressors for the first 20 minutes before Harvard turned the tide. Juniors Beth Zotter and Ashley Berman continued the brilliant play they have displayed all season to lead the Crimson attack.
On a Harvard corner kick in the 25th minute, Zotter had a chance at a clean header inside the near post but was groped by Lynch. No foul was called. In the 32nd minute, Berman broke into the box from the right and fired a shot on goal that Lynch saved while falling back.
"I think we shot it too much at the goalie," Corkery said. "We should have put it more to the sides. I think we made [Lynch] look good. We just didn't place it that well."
After a scoreless first half, B.U. took the lead early in the second. In the 51st minute, Enos took a touch from Magner around the Harvard defenders and beat Browning to the far post for a 1-0 B.U. lead.
Harvard then turned up its intensity. Off a Marynick corner kick at 67:41, Berman rocketed a shot that Lynch snagged. Two minutes later Berman rushed in from the left side between two Terrier defenders but was taken down before getting a shot off.
Harvard continued to pepper Lynch with shots off the boots of Berman, Zotter, senior forward Naomi Miller and co-captain Devon Bingham. But it was not until Corkery fired at 85:37 that the Crimson found the back of the net.
"I don't think we realize how much time we have to shoot, and a lot of our shots are forced," Zotter said. "We try to get them off too fast, and lose a lot in power and accuracy when that happens."
The teams split control of overtime, with Harvard dominating the first extra period and B.U. taking the initiative in the second. Bingham and Berman led the Crimson charge in the first overtime, but Harvard was still unable to finish its chances.
"We didn't finish as well as we would have liked; it's been a problem with us all year long," Wheaton said. "We're getting the ball to the people we want in the right places, and they're not putting it away."
The Terriers had several chances to seal a victory in the final 15-minute period, but senior goaltender Jen Burney--who replaced Browning in the second half of regulation--was up to the task.
B.U.'s best opportunity came in the 106th minute of play when Enos fired a shot from 10 yards out. Burney made a diving save to her left, managing to knock the ball out of bounds. Scoring B.U.--Enos (Magner), 50:36 Har--Corkery, 85:37. Saves: Har--Browning 3 (61:48), Burney 4 (58:12); B.U.--Lyrch 9.
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