The Harvard men's soccer team overcame a driving, bone-chilling rain in a hard-fought 2-1 win over cross-town rival Northeastern yesterday at Ohiri Field.

The weather looked to be the dominant story of the day before the Crimson offense, spurred by the playmaking of captain Ryan Kelly, erupted early in the second half. The win marked a successful start to a five-game homestand for the Crimson (3-2-1, 0-1 Ivy).

The first half ended scoreless, with both offenses sputtering. Harvard controlled the ball for much of that half, but failed to convert on either of its two excellent scoring opportunities.

The first opportunity came in the 14th minute of the contest, when sophomore back Michael Cornish unleashed a fiercesome shot which hit Northeastern goalie Allan Lewis square in the chest.

Another scoring chance came with three minutes remaining in the half when Kelly directed a header just slightly above the reach of Lewis but over the crossbar.

Even though he felt that his team dominated the first frame, Harvard coach John Kerr instituted a change to spark the offense.

"If we scored early in the second half, we might score a few more," Kerr said.

At the start of the second half, the Crimson exhibited a more wide-open offense and a more aggressive midfield, with a central defender often moving forward with the attack.