Men's soccer plans comeback

BY FRANCESCA CECIL

Though most teams would get discouraged after dropping an intense match to an archrival, the men's soccer team has an entire season to recover from its defeat. After falling to Harvard 4-2 in their opener, the Elis have discovered that a disappointing loss can be an unexpected motivational tool for the remainder of the season.

"Saturday's loss against Harvard made us realize that we want to work harder," John Walker, SM '03, said. According to Walker, the Bulldogs succeeded in "forcing Harvard to turn the ball over because [they] were able to put a lot of pressure on the ball."

COURTESY SPORTS PUBLICITY With more than a week off after its first game, Yale should be prepared to avenge its loss to Harvard.

However, Russ Stroud, TD '04, lamented his own team's collection of excessive turnovers and mental letdowns. "The major lesson we learned was that we cannot allow simple mistakes we make as a team let us down," he said. "Such simple mistakes cost us the goals, which, in turn, cost us the game, as they did on Saturday."

Yale prides itself on its balance, and most team members feel this year's team is equally effective on the offensive and defensive ends. Accordingly, practices since Saturday's game have focused on clearing the ball out of the back more quickly, taking more shots on goal, and getting the keeper to make the save.

Offensively, the Bulldogs are looking to leading scorers Jay Alberts, SY '03, and Stuart Yingst, BK '03, who provided a strong one-two punch for the team last year. Lindsey Williams, SY '05, the scorer of both of Yale's goals on Saturday, has already shown he can take over games. There are a lot of young players on the field, as the team welcomed nine freshmen this year.

"The freshmen have already made a big impact," Walker said. "Bringing in new players like these always makes a huge difference."

Despite last week's disappointing loss, the team considers itself in contention for the Ivy League title. Geoff Hollington, DC '04, points to Brown, one of the Bulldog's biggest rivals, as another team with a solid chance at the title.

The Ivy League, as Stroud explained, is a "very close group, never too spread out. The competition for the title always comes down to a few games."

As part of the athletic department's decision to cancel all weekend games, Yale will not participate in the Brown Classic as originally scheduled. Of the decision to cancel all games, Stroud commented, "As a competitor, it is disappointing, but I respect the decision of the Administration and understand the reasoning completely."

With the Brown Classic on hold, the Mon., Sept. 17 game against the University of Rhode Island is next on the team's schedule. The game was organized on Wed., Sept. 12 as a last-minute attempt to get more playing time in before the heart of the season.

A short break may be beneficial for a team still coping with a difficult loss. Hollington optimistically pointed out, "We still have another 16 games and plan to take it one game at a time."

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