JV Booters Nip Unsettling Friars

The Harvard JV soccer team was within 30 seconds of being shut out for the first time in its five-year history last Friday afternoon, when Russ Vaughan scored to give the Crimson a 1-0 win over the Providence College JV.

As the official timer stood by the referee counting down the final minute of the game. Vaughan took a through pass from Gene Warner and powered a 12-yard shot into the back corner of the Providence goal, thus averting the JVs' first shut out in 39 games.

Friars Foul

Providence made up for a general lack of talent by being overly aggressive. In a game in which perhaps too few penalties were called, the Friars fouled often enough to disrupt the Crimson's offensive patterns.

JV coach Seamus Malin said after the game. "We were more relieved to win than anything else. There was a lot of late tackling, and overall it was a very unsettling game."

Chug Holes

The Providence field was rocky, and small chug holes made ball control almost impossible. After holding off early Harvard offensive thrusts by dropping six men into the goal area. Providence controlled much of the second half play.

The Crimson, meanwhile, managed to regroup late in the final period, and returned home thankful that an overtime melee had not been necessary.

Back to Winning

The win marked the return to the victory column for the JVs, who tied Brown, 2-2, and lost to Southeastern Massachusetts, 2-1, in their last two outings.

Now 3-1-1 for the season, the Crimson has a tough match with the Princeton JV at 3 p.m. Saturday on the Business School field. The JVs have never been beaten by the Tigers.