Bouncing Back

Junior Will Hench leads the way as Harvard finesses Cornell, 2-1, for third straight victory

By Paul McNeeley

Assistant Director of Sports Media Relations

After opening the season winless in its first five games, the Harvard men's soccer team has won three in a row with a trio of clutch victories that could serve as the starting point for a Crimson run. And what a way to get on the right track. For its first win of the season, Harvard downed 17th-ranked Boston University, 2-1 in overtime, and for the second, the Crimson came through in a must-win situation to defeat Ivy League foe Pennsylvania, 2-0.

And last Sunday, junior Will Hench, after being held without a point through the first seven games this season picked a great time to bust out. The All-Ivy midfielder delivered the game-winning goal and added an assist to key a 2-1 victory over visiting Ivy League rival Cornell on Sunday.

Harvard has now boosted its overall record to 3-4-1. More importantly, the Crimson is 2-2 in league play and remains in the hunt for an Ivy championship.

Relentless rain and poor field conditions forced the contest to be cancelled on Saturday and moved to Sunday. However, on Sunday, it was the Crimson offense that was relentless, as the hosts rallied from a 1-0 halftime deficit to put two second-half goals in the net for Harvard's first win over Cornell since 1994.

The Big Red got on the scoreboard in the 24th minute of play, when Middlesex (Mass.) School product and 1997 Ivy League Rookie of the Year Richard Stimpson deflected a shot off a Harvard defender for the game's first goal.

The Crimson answered in the 64th minute, when a quick one-two pass combination between freshman Marko Soldo and Hench freed up sophomore Ryan Kelly inside the penalty box. Kelly knew what to do with it, as he buried a low shot in the back of the net for the equalizing goal.

Then, with just 9:17 left to play, freshman midfielder Nick Lenicheck sent a ball into the left corner of Cornell's defensive zone to classmate James Hutcherson, who struck a low cross in front of the net with his first touch. Hench gained a step on his defender as he made a run to the top of the box and knocked home the eventual game-winner past sprawling Cornell goalkeeper Andrew Barton.

The three-point outing matched a career-high for Hench, who also scored a goal and an assist in a 2-2 tie versus Cornell in Ithaca, last season.

Crimson senior goalkeeper Jordan Dupuis was forced to make just three saves as Harvard outshot the Big Red, 11-5.

After recording a point in his first three games with the team, junior Armando Petruccelli has been held scoreless in the last two contests but remains the team's leading scorer with seven points (three goals, one assist). Kelly is second with six points (three goals) and Lenicheck (one goal, three assists) ranks third and is the top scorer in the freshman class.

"It's nice to put a few wins together like we've done but the important thing is to maintain our discipline," asserts Coach Steve Locker. "We have a bit of confidence now but when you're playing in the Ivy League, you can't afford to get complacent. We simply must continue to work hard and stay focused on the goals we've set for ourselves."

Harvard looked to push its winning streak to four games Oct. 14, with the Crimson hosting Northeastern for a non-league matchup. The Crimson blanked Northeastern, 3-0, last fall.

Locker's squad travels west to face Holy Cross in Worcester on Saturday, marking just the second encounter with the Crusaders.