Harvard Wins Sixth Straight

No. 17 Crimson Blast Providence

October 29, 2008

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – John Stamatis and Michael Fucito each contributed a goal and an assist and the No. 17 Harvard men’s soccer team won its sixth straight game, this one a 3-1 triumph over Providence on Tuesday.

Neither team could find its offensive rhythm early, as the teams combined for only seven shots in the first 36 minutes. Providence’s John Raley had the best initial chance, but his boot from 20 yards out skipped high over the cross bar.

Harvard's John Stamatis scored a goal and an assist for Harvard. (Harvard Athletics)

The Friars would get on top first, however, as a Crimson defender was called for a foul in the Harvard box at 36:04. Ryan Maduro was awarded a penalty shot and buried it into the bottom right side of the goal. Prior to Maduro’s score, Harvard had not surrendered a goal since late in the second half of a 4-1 victory at Brown Oct. 18, a span of 216:57 minutes.

The Crimson came back and knotted the game five minutes later, when Fucito sent a cross from the right side into the center of the box. Andre Akpan awaited the pass and headed it to the left of Providence goalkeeper Timothy Murray at 41:30.

“It took some time to get used to the surface, but eventually we found our step and opened up the game,” said Harvard coach Jamie Clark about the game, played on Harvard’s turf field, rather than its regular playing surface, after the latter was ruled unplayable because of the weather. “We spread out our offense wide, enabling the guys on the inside to get open. Right now, at this point in the season, it’s just about getting results.”

In the second, Harvard was awarded a penalty kick of its own when Akpan was knocked down in the box by Murray. Akpan swooped in toward the Providence goalkeeper trying to track down a loose ball, but Murray slid into him, causing the foul. Stamatis was chosen to take the ensuing shot and fired into the top right corner, putting the Crimson ahead, 2-1, at 63:04.

With the one-goal lead, Harvard controlled the midfield play and continued to create chances. At 70:33, Stamatis bounced a quick pass to Fucito who chipped the ball over Murray and into the Friar cage, making it a 3-1 contest. With their tallies in the game, Akpan and Fucito moved into a third-place tie on the all-time Harvard goal list with 32 apiece.

Harms only faced one shot on the afternoon, coming on the penalty kick, while Murray made four stops for the Friars. With the win, Harms moves to 6-0-0. The Crimson led in shots, 14-9, for the game, including 9-5 in the second half, but trailed in corner kicks, 6-4, on the afternoon.

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