Stickwomen Suffer Sixth Consecutive Shutout Loss

The Harvard field hockey team last night failed to score for the sixth game in a row, and as a result, dropped its sixth consecutive contest.

The 1-0 loss to Springfield College under the lights at Benedum Field in Springfield, Mass., drops the Crimson's record to 2-6.

More than three weeks and 420 minutes of game time have passed since Harvard last nipped the back of the opposing goal, and the result is the longest consecutive losing already in recent Harvard field hockey history.

Ironically, many had tabbed, this team as the finest in the squad's 12-year existence, so the early-season problems come as one of the fall's biggest mysteries.

Runaway

The Cantabs, who have now lost as many games as they did all last season, suffered similar scoring problems a year ago but rebounded in time to avert such a dramatic skid.

The difference this year is that even though the Harvard squad is putting shots on goal, it's doing so with neither tremendous accuracy nor tremendous luck.

Again last night, the visiting Crimson squad outshot Springfield, the nation's 14th-ranked team, but failed to capitalize on both follow-ups and rebounds.

So the fact that the stick-women made 17 shots on goal while the highly touted hosts managed just-15 meant little when they couldn't put the ball past Springfield netminder Maggie Brown.

"We had some really good shots," said Harvard Co-Captain Ellen O' Neill, who from her midfield position last night turned in one of her best performances of the year.

"We had a couple of opportuinites we just missed," O' Neill added.

As a result. Deb Sorg's score midway through the first half was all the hosts needed to record the second consecutive 1-0 triumph over Harvard. The University of Pennsylvania defeated the Crimson by the same score Saturday at Philadelphia.

Frustration

As in that game, the stickwomen last night created a closing minute assault on the Springfield net but just couldn't convert it into a goal.

Several Crimson penalty corners went astray as time ticked away.

Even talented junior Bambi Taylor's move with just over live minutes to play Iron the goal to the field, where she provides one of Harvard's most powerful shots couldn't stir up a Crimson rally.

In goal, Taylor recorded three saves while allowing the one score. When she moved so the field, freshman Kristin Abely look over, ably stopped the Springfield attack.

The Ivy Rate

Although the season's now almost half over, the Cantabs could salvage what's become one of their most disappointing campaigns ever by making a run for their first Ivy crown.

Considered the Ivy team to beat at season's start, Harvard faces Cornell Saturday morning on Ohiri Field.

Already 0-1 in the league because of its loss at Penn, the Crimson must topple the Big Red and then knock off current league leader Dartmouth a week later if it is to keep those title hopes alive.

THE NOTEBOOK: Game time Saturday is 11 a.m...A year ago the Crimson defeated Springfield, 2-1, on two Taylor penalty strokes...Dartmouth has already defeated Penn so a Crimson victory over Cornell and the Big Green would assure Harvard of at least a tie for first place in the league.