Laxwomen Win 5th, Dump Eagles 12-2

Yeah, the beat goes on.

The Harvard womens lacrosse team made it five in a row last night, defeating a scrappy, but outclassed Boston College contingent 12-2 on the artificial playing surface of B.C.'s Alumni stadium. The win solidifies the stickwomen's position as one of the top five squads in the country.

The Crimson scored the three goals they needed in the first four minutes of the game, as they notched their fifth win in as many outings.

Left wing attacker Jennifer White started things off for Harvard at 1:12 of the first half, courtesy of a pin-point Francesca Denhartog pass from the right corner. With feline quickness, Cat Ferrante, set up by a Maureen Finn shovel pass, gnarled the nets with the first third of her eventual hat trick at 1:34.

Den Hartog gave Harvard what turned out to be the game-winner at 4:01 with a blistering shot that caught the upper right corner of the net.

Finn, who picked up the go-ahead goal in the Crimson's 10-9 win over Ursinus last week, spread most of the icing from there as she notched five goals and dealt four assists to lead the scoring. She and Den Hartog made a potent duo, as the combination clicked four times during the game.

As Finn said about the pair's success. "The pass from give and goes worked really well for us. When I have the ball she's lower and is in good position for my pass and then a shot. When she has the ball, I'm lower. It worked well both ways."

On the defensive side Charlotte, "Little Gump" Worsley--who might have fallen asleep had it not been for the chill winds--was challenged just four times for the entire 50 minutes, mishandling a breakaway try by Julic Devlin and one by Bernie Lombardo to give up the two Eagle goals.

The Eagles received an outstanding performance from midfielder-converted-to-goalied Yolanda Nunley, who turned away 33 shots, including eight "oh-no-here's-another-Harvard-goal" attempts that kept the score respectable in the final stanza.

No Cement

Crimson coach Carol Kleinfelder praised the B.C. goalie, saying "she did an outstanding job" but concentrated her comments on the strength of the Crimson performance. "I think we straightened out the offense a little better tonight--that's important for the Princeton game. They really crowed us with a man-to-man defense, but we hustled and did the job."

Harvard faces the Tigers this Saturday in a grudge match in New Jersey. Princeton knocked the sticksters out of the national tournament last spring.

Kleinfelder said she thought that the Princeton contest would be an "emotional matchup" but she hoped that her team would play with some poise and "a cool head."

If last year's game is any indication, this weekend's matchup should be a physical one. Kleinfelder's prediction for success, however, did not include rough housing. "We just have to hustle and win the ground balls," she said simply.

Little Gump, who will be tested severly this Saturday, however was more emphatic. "We owe them one," she said.

THE NOTEBOOK: Jamie Conti scored six goals to lead the j.v. squad to an 11-2 win in the second game.