The Last Time

The last time the Harvard field hockey squad beat Yale, Beth Mullen had the assist. Betsy Torg had the goal and Juliet Lamont had the shutout.

The last time.

Funny how those words stick out now. It's been two years since that 1-0 win and, suddenly, for that talented Crimson trio, it's just about the last time.

The three seniors could go a long way in determining whether it's really the last time Saturday when the stickwomen meet Yale in New Haven for both squads' regular season finale. Whether it's the career finale for the field hockey squad's three seniors rests on a wing and a prayer.

And a win over Yale.

Harvard faces a must-win situation Saturday if it is to extend its season and force a playoff with the University of Pennsylvania for the Ivy title. The winner of that Harvard-Penn game would then advance to the NCAA tournament.

What's this? Ivy title? NCAA tournament? The Harvard field hockey squad, the very one that three years ago would have had trouble even beating itself?

Yup, the very one that three years ago had a promising group of freshmen named. Mullen. Torg and Lamont.

And in these last three years, few threesomes have been more responsible for bringing the Crimson squad out of the depths of despair and into the national limelight.

To have watched the development of the Harvard squad is to have watched the development of Mullen as the premier defender in the Ivy League. Torg as the clutch reliever on the team and Lamont as the ever-reliable goalic who has saved more games in the past four years than any other team member.

Back when they started, though, the thought of an Ivy title seemed as remote as construction-free days in Harvard Square. "Back then it seemed great just to get a goal." Lamont says, "Now here we are in contention for the Ivy title, closer than we've ever been before."

"I'm trying not to think about all the externals attached to this game," says Mullen, who admits it's difficult. "But if everyone just does what she's supposed to and thinks about her job, nobody can beat us."

What the Crimson will find in Yale is a squad itching to redeem its season with a win over Harvard. Currently 4-7-2, the Elis have lost three games on penalty strokes. And Yale is well aware of the spoiler role it could play in the Ivy race.

No matter what happens Saturday, however, the seniors admit it won't put a damper on the climb the Crimson has made in the past few years. "Winning is important," Lamont says. "But a lot of teams have forgotten that it's a game and it's for fun."

Mullen, Torg and Lamont say they won't forget that fact on Saturday--even if it is the last time.