Harvard vs. University of Connecticut
Preview of Match-up

A report from The Boston Globe

UCONN, HARVARD AT IT AGAIN

Date: Wednesday, September 21, 1988
Section: SPORTS
Page: 62

By Marvin Pave, Globe Staff

Last year, the Harvard soccer team had to work overtime twice
against Connecticut, and by the time the teams had finished clawing
away at each other, Harvard had scored exactly one goal and
UConn none.

That one tally, by David Kramer, gave the Crimson the New
England NCAA Division 1 title in a memorable game played before
an overflow crowd at Storrs, Conn.

That game was a springboard for Harvard, which went on to the
NCAA Final Four and whose current edition is ranked No. 1
nationally by Soccer America magazine.

This afternoon at 3, at Harvard's Ohiri Field, the Crimson (2-0) will
renew their rivalry with a much younger UConn squad (3-4-1) that
has lost seven starters.

UConn has been stingy on defense (12 goals against) but has scored
only nine, and its last three starts have been indicative: A 1-1 tie with
Boston University, a 1-0 loss to Syracuse and a 1-0 decision over
Army.

UConn's big gun is All-America and Hermann Trophy candidate Dan
Donigan, who is getting double- and triple-teamed these days.

That's why Donigan, the heart and soul of coach Joe Morrone's
Huskies, is the team's third-leading scorer (1-3--5) behind freshman
forwards Rob Lindell and Brian Parker, each with seven points.

"We're a disciplined team and we're fit, and maybe that can make up
for a lack of experience," said Morrone. "We're coming to
Cambridge optimistic. Our rivalry with Harvard has been nothing
short of sensational."

Last season, the teams battled to a scoreless tie in the regular season,
then hooked up in the regional championship.

Harvard, meanwhile, has defeated MIT and Columbia by 1-0
scores. Chad Reilly and Stephen Hall split the goalkeeping duties vs.
MIT, while Hall went all the way against Columbia and will get the
start against UConn.

In last year's New England title match, Hall made the save of the
game with seven seconds to go in regulation when he robbed
UConn's Chris Reif on a leaping deflection.

The native of Liverpool, England, had five saves vs. Columbia.
Playoff hero Kramer got the goal against MIT, while Derek Mills
tallied late in the game vs. Columbia when he headed a rebound into
the net.

Those two early victories have boosted Harvard's unbeaten streak at
home to 16 games (14-0-2), with the last loss a 1-0 job in October
1985 to BU.

Harvard is 3-5-4 vs. UConn, but didn't win its first against the
Huskies until 1984. Since then, the Crimson are 2-1-2.

"We played pretty well against Columbia after playing not so well
against MIT," said Crimson coach Mike Getman. "UConn is a
completely different team and although they're young, they're talented
and capable of beating any team in the country.

"The Harvard-UConn game is always a very emotional match."

The game will be televised on NESN at 10:30 tonight.