The men's soccer team (5-4-2) came out Sunday looking to avenge its first Ivy League loss in two years but ended up losing its second straight Ivy game, falling 1-0 to Harvard. Although Brown appeared to dominate the majority of the game, specifically the first half, the Bears did not capitalize on crucial moments throughout the game, which came back to haunt the team in the last minute of play.
"They are a team that sits back and waits for a counterattack. The longer we let them hang around, the more chances we give them," said Keith Caldwell '06. Throughout the majority of the game, Brown was in control of the ball as Harvard sat back and played controlled defense. As Brown challenged more to goal, Harvard protected its cage with a strong defensive unit, allowing few Brown players to penetrate the Crimson defense.
In the first half, both teams failed to put their shots on goal, but as the game continued, the teams delivered more challenging shots. The second-half shots appeared more controlled and better poised, but neither team capitalized on its attack until Harvard scored with under a minute to play.
"Letting in a goal with 45 seconds left is not the way to lose any game," Caldwell said.
On the goal, Harvard forward Anthony Tornaritis walked through the Brown defenders and sent a shot to the left side of the net beyond Brown goalkeeper Chris Gomez '05.
"We got the lucky break, to be honest. It was a nip-and-tuck game," said Harvard coach John Kerr.
The game was back-and-forth throughout the entire first half and the beginning of the second half. Brown had more offensive opportunities than Harvard, holding an advantage in shots and corner kicks. Although Kerr credited Harvard's win to luck, Brown head coach Mike Noonan attributed it to Harvard's strategy.
"Their goalie played well. We didn't play disciplined enough. They sat back and played defensively and got a break," said Noonan.
Noonan complimented Harvard's strong defense and talented goalkeeper, Ryan Johnson. Despite the Bears' controlled play and frequent challenges to goal, they failed to capitalize on their shots. In the second half, the Bears were given two one-on-one drives to cage where the shots both sailed over the crossbar.
"We failed to communicate and trust each other, and we had breakdowns," Noonan said.
The breakdowns did not exist solely in the offensive unit's shot selection - the defense also fell apart a few times in the second half. Gomez, a huge defensive asset for the Bears, came up strong with two outstanding saves in the second half. In the first of the two saves, Gomez batted a rebounded ball out from the net, with his body positioned behind the goal line. In the second save, he came out of the goal and took on an unmarked Harvard attacker. Gomez gobbled up the shot, not allowing a rebound.
"(Brown has) solid defense and great goaltending," Kerr said. "The team is so well-coached by Noonan. They are organized and difficult to break down."
Throughout the game, Brown made many substitutions, with as many as four coming in the game at one time.
"We're just trying to find an answer," Noonan said of the substitutions.
The Bears hope to erase the loss as they face their next Ivy opponent, Cornell University, on Saturday.
"We gotta go out there and beat another Ivy team," Noonan said.
Despite the two Ivy losses the team has faced so far this season, there is still much of the Ivy League schedule remaining.
"I wouldn't count them out. We haven't counted them out - they will go out there every game," Kerr said.
