Soldiers Field had been a sweet home for the Harvard softball team in 1999. The Crimson had won eight in a row and was undefeated at home until yesterday.

As the temperature dropped and the wind picked up, the Harvard bats went cold and the Crimson toppled to the tune of a 5-0 loss to Boston University (20-9, 1-1 America East). For Harvard (12-12, 4-0 Ivy) the loss was its first since spring break, and it snapped the Crimson's 16-game home winning streak that dated back to April 5, 1998.

"We're not happy with how we played," said Harvard co-captain Deborah Abeles. "We know that we did not put out our best effort."

Freshman Sarah Koppel took the loss for Harvard, the first defeat of her collegiate career. Koppel surrendered 11 hits and five earned runs in 6.1 innings of work.

Her counterpart on the hill for B.U., sophomore Robyn King, baffled the Crimson all afternoon. King went the distance for the Terriers, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out five. She improved to 13-5 for the year, and had a no-hitter going through 4.2 innings.

King had earned her second America East Pitcher of the Week award in three weeks last Sunday.

The Crimson, uncharacteristically, could get nothing going offensively. Harvard has had a penchant for scoring many runs late in ballgames, but the barrage never came, as Harvard's hitters simply could not figure out King.

"I don't know if I can explain the problem," Abeles said. "I think there was a lack of motivation for this game."

The Terriers did not have the same trouble with the sticks, and the Herr sisters led the way. Sophomore second baseman Kerry Herr went 3-for-4 and scored twice, both times driven in by her twin sister Courtney, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Junior first baseman Amy Parker was 2-for-2 on the afternoon and drove in B.U.'s other two runs.