Princeton and Harvard: Crimson and Tigers and Bears Oh My

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Testing the Tigers

The game began with the Tigers charging forward, keeping possession well, and forcing the Bears onto the back foot with a bit more of the energy underneath the lights of their own field, and the shrieks of their own fans. But the Bears responded well with Tmac leading Gavey and Dylan beautifully to the corners and into the box as Gavey blasted one searching ball just over the bar. Though the Bears backline was tested time and time again by Princeton's classic Ivy League long throw (haven taken a page from Rory Delap's book), no real chances came for either side until around the 18^th minute, when a Tiger forward poked the ball around Dylan and struck a shot just wide of the Bear’s net.

Stout and scrappy defense dominated the game as both sides made it clear that this would be as much of a physical testing ground as a tactical or technical one. In the 32^nd minute, after a Tiger winger fired a shot into Tmac’s leg, their striker pounced upon the rebound and rifled a low effort towards only to be denied brilliantly by the diving Schloss. It was a vital save, and one that seemed to shift the momentum for the rest of the half.

After Tmac pinned a Princeton defender in the corner, Big Ben galumphed his way over and with a clever heel flick, earned the Bears a corner. Though the first corner was cleared back over the line by the Princeton back line, the second corner – after being punched out by the Tiger keeper – was volleyed into the top cheddar of the net with authority from the young Timmy “the wailer” Whalen.  1-0 Brown!

The half wound to a close without much fanfare, as the Bears jogged off the pitch to the whistles and cheers of a small, but rowdy fan base.

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The second half kicked off with the Tigers finding their feet once more, keeping the ball well and forcing the Bears into a defensive stance. Several chances arose for the Tigers including a dangerous volley that was scooped up by Schloss in the 53^rd minute. Though the Bears continued to battle courageously on defense, it was clear that the tides had turned, as Princeton continued to test the Bears’ back line, and Brown’s offense seemed to dwindle.

And then the inevitable happened. In the 73rd minute a long throw was hucked into the Bears box, skimming off the head of a Princeton forward and falling to the paw of a Tiger who blasted the ball into the back of the net to draw the score level. The game was tied, and Princeton showed no signs of stopping, as just a minute later, they forced a strong save from Schloss after a speculative volley from just inside the corner of the 18’.

 

Throughout the remainder of the half the ball continued to find its way into the Bears box. Corners and crosses came for the Tigers as they peppered the net with 9 shots to the Bears 2. But even after the Bears seemed to rally in the dying seconds of the game, putting corner after corner into the chaos of the Tiger’s box, a goal was not to be found, and once again the Bears were forced into overtime.

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The physical battle carried on into O.T., with both teams – no doubt frustrated by the lack of offensive opportunities – throwing their tired legs into challenges creating chances only by hoofing the ball into the box from corners. Perhaps the only truly legitimate chance came for the Bears in the 2^nd period of OT, when Big Ben, muscling a defender off the ball, pounded in a shot that was punched away by the Tiger keeper. But the ball was not to find the back of the net, and the Bears left this Ivy battle with their first tie in the league, knowing that they would have to produce the following Saturday against their Boston rivals, Harvard.

Damming the Crimson Tide

Coming off an inspiring victory from my hand-selected, one-touch squad, the Blue – berries, the Bears returned to the Saturday night lights of Stevenson with high hopes at conquering a fickle Harvard side. Although the Crimson have slipped from their position as an Ivy League powerhouse over the past few years (ending the 2011 season without an Ivy league win) the eternal rivalry that lives within these two teams’ history always promises an intense match.

Right from the get go the Bears looked sharp and up for the challenge. There was a feeling of determination that seemed to permeate even the pregame warm up, as the boys took to the field with energy, cheered on by an exuberant crowd of BMS die-hards. In just the opening minutes of the game, the Bears surged forward, pinging the ball in possession, and creating two good chances from Akeel and Mcnamara that sailed over the bar.

One of the most interesting aspects of the game was the battle between the twin towers of both sides. Though the Crimson boasted a roster of two 6’6” players (one center back, one center mid), it was the Bears slightly less towering duo of Belair and Maurey who proved the time old saying “It’s not the size that counts, it’s how you use it.” While Ben outmuscled his center back rival, Belair out-jumped and simply out-worked his opponent, winning 90% of the aerial battles throughout the game.

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The Bears continued to create chance after chance, forcing the Crimson to defend a series of corners around the 20^th minute including a vital clearance of the line by a Harvard defender.  Indeed, almost the entire first half seemed to be played on Harvard’s side of the field (save for one or two harmless Harvard efforts), and still the Bears could not find the back of the net. A chance came in the 34^th minute for Brown after Bizzle was yanked down just outside the top of the box, but Dylan’s bending effort curled just high of the bar.

But Brown refused to be dissuaded and continued to knock at the Crimson’s door, until in the 39^th minute, after some swift-footed cuts from Dylan, V battled his way into space on the left side of the box and rifled a cross to the swan-diving figure of Belair who headed it home to make it 1-0 Good Guys. It was one of the most glamorous goals of the season, and fitting that it should come from the domineering head of Bobby “stanky-leg” Belair.

Minutes later Belair almost doubled his goal tally, when a poorly-cleared corner fell to him 12 yards out, but his left-footed strike was wrapped up by the Crimson keeper. This was immediately followed by an exciting counterattack from the Bears in the waning seconds of the half. After D.T. and Belair combined, B found V, who flicked a brilliant ball into the streaking path of D.T., and D.T. – appearing to be roughed up from behind – mishit the ball just wide of the Crimson goalmouth.

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As is often the case, this game revealed itself to be a tale of two halves, as the Crimson returned to the field revitalized and hungry. After a backward pass got stuck under the foot of McDuff, a Harvard striker punished him for this momentary lapse, poking the ball by the back line and slotting it into the back of the net after just a minute of play. It was a crushing blow for the Bears who had thoroughly dominated the first half, but an equally important reminder that Harvard would not go down without a fight.

Just seconds later, Harvard nearly pulled ahead two times, but fortunately for the Bears SKS dealt with the first effort sent across the mouth of the goal, and the second – an uncontested header from maybe 7 yards out – fell just wide of the post. Cries of “Wake up!” and “C’mon Brown!” rose up from the crowd of nervous Bear supporters only to fall upon deaf ears. It seemed only after the quintessential  “Let’s go Bruno” chant took the place of these pleas that the Bears truly fired into action.

First, Belair sent in a scintillating ball from the left flank that D.T. was unable to connect with from the corner of the 6’. Then, after a cross pin-balled its way through the box, V pounced upon it, ripping a strong shot from just around the penalty spot that was denied brilliantly by the leaping Crimson keeper. As the half went on chances emerged for both sides, with Erob clearing a ball of the goal line, and SKS coming up with what can only be described as some “ballsy” saves.

Inevitably the closer we got to full time, the chippier the match got. But Brown seemed to emerge as the offensive force for the end of the half. Gavey – after being denied a goal due to a questionable offside call – had perhaps the best effort of the second half, as Tmac fired in a brilliant cross to Gavey, who volleyed the ball fiercely at the hands of the Crimson keeper from just 8 yards out. But, in the same fashion as the previous two matches for the Bears, this game was going to overtime.

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Before the game Coach Laughlin articulated the importance of the 3^rd game in the Ivy League, saying, “It is a game in which every team is still fighting for something.” For Harvard this game might have been a chance at salvaging a gloomy looking 1-6-3 season. But for Brown, this game was about staking their claim as contenders for the Ivy League Trophy. So when Tim Whalen crossed the ball to Dylan, and when Dylan volleyed that ball into the low corner of the net, it was about much more than a win for the Bears, it was about proving the mettle of this team, about showing that when the time comes, we can rise to the challenge.

Shoutouts to Tim Whalen for earning his second Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors, and to Dylan for his selection to the College Soccer News’ National Team of the Week. Next up, another familiar Boston rival as the Bears travel to Boston College to avenge last year's defeat on Stevenson. Stay tuned.