A Terrible Thing To Waste

The Harvard mens' soccer team travels to Amherst today to face the Minutemen of UMass, but for all intents and purposes, the booters' 1981 campaign ended last Saturday as the Crimson dropped its second overtime game of the year to B.C., 2-1.

It was at once a'sad and predictable moment.

The loss shot to the wind any hope any hope of salvaging the season with a Greater Boston League Championship. Chances for any Ivy Championship or an NCAA playoff berth had already been dispelled early on with 3-0 losses to Columbia and Cornell, as the offense had continued to flounder in game after game.

Why, then--at a college and in a country where losers are shunned as quickly as winners are glorified--should we even bother to shed a tear for the haplass booters?

Well, it's always sad to see a good thing go to waste. When the cork on that bottle of Chateau Lafitte-Rothschild splinters and falls into the wine, connoisseurs all over the world cringe just a little.

Similarly, when a defense that has developed and matured into a virtually impenetrable unit over three years, is matched with an offense that has as much potency as watery American beer, all sports fans must feel a little like they've taken a knee to the groin.

Besides third-year wind defender Andreas Keller-Sarmeinto at goalie Peter Walsh, the rest of the Harvard defense--stopper John Duggan, sweeper Peter Sergienko, and wing back Deniz Perese--after a three-year stint in front of the Harvard goal will play its last game November 21 against Yale.

The three seniors first played together in 1979 and the defense allowed only 14 goals in 15 games. The offense, in a manner characteristic of this year's squad, could only manage 15 goals.

In 1980 the back "wall" allowed just 20 goals, but the defense's hopes were boosted with a 33-goal offense and a 10-4-1 record.

To bring things up to date, the booters have committed only 16 defensive miscues in 1981, while amassing a less than formidable 4-6-2 mark.

"The season has been frustrating, not disappointing," said right side defender Perese. "We've done well and had to play in games and lose like 1-0."

"You can't blame the defense," said coach George Ford. They've played a solid season and kept us in most of the games."

Individually, each of the defenders has had a steller campaign. Perese, who played most of his soccer in high school at sweeper, will receive this year's Hamilton Fisk award for the senior who makes the greatest improvement during his years at Harvard.

Sergienko, who has been pursued by the Montreal Manic and the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League, has also been superb. "Peter has been the finest sweeper to pass through Harvard since I've been here," said Ford, who is in his seventh year as coach.

"We've always had a sense of control in defense," Sergienko said of his four-year stint with the Harvard varsity. "This year we've been trying to play offense from defense, but it's been tough."

Duggan has been the team's leading shooter, but stoppers are paid to make tackles, not to score goals, and a winning season can not be had with only 13 tallies in 13 contests.

To waste that kind of assurance is a sad thing indeed.