A History That Should Take Another Course

First, the current news.

Today at Ohiri Field, the Harvard women's lacrosse team (9-0 overall, 5-0 Ivy League) will face Dartmouth. A win would give the Crimson its eighth Ivy title since 1981 and improve its league record since 1981 to 50-3.

The Crimson should be ranked number one in this week's national poll, announced today by the National Women's Lacrosse Coaches' Association. Harvard was ranked second in last week's poll behind Penn State, which lost to Princeton last week.

Is this a normal state of affairs for the Crimson? The possibility of a top national ranking may be something new for Harvard. But winning? That's normal stuff.

Time now for a history lesson-with help from Crimson in Triumph by Joe Bertagna '73.

Bertagna's section on women's lacrosse says that 1979 was the decisive year-when Carole Kleinfelder, who coached the U.S. national lacrosse team in 1978, took over the Harvard program.

Kleinfelder, now in her 11th season, has posted an overall record of 135-49-3. Okay, 1979 was a decisive year.

And so was 1981, the year Harvard captured its first Ivy title with a perfect 6-0 league record. The Crimson entered the NCAA tournament, proud owners of a 17-0 overall mark. After skipping past James Madison, 11-4, in the first round, Harvard lost to Maryland, 5-3, in the semifinals, and Temple, 8-6, in the consolation game.

Dynamic

Then there was the scoring duo of sophomores Francesca DenHartong and Maureen Finn, who, from 1980 to 1983, combined for 629 points.

Check the Ivy League record books for women's lacrosse:

Most goals in a season: DenHartog, 30 (1981).

Most goals in a career: DenHartog, 95 (1980-1983).

Most points in a game: Finn, 13 (1982, vs. Cornell).

Most points in a season: DenHartog, 46 (1981).

Most points in a career: Finn, 121 (1980-83).

And one final fact. In 1981 and 1982, DenHartog (who is now the head coach at Yale) was named Ivy League Player of the Year. Guess who won in 1984? Do I really have to tell you?

Here's something else you should know: Of the seven Ivy League Player of the Year winners, five of them played for Harvard. Besides DenHartog and Finn, Maggie Hart won in 1984, followed by Jennifer Greely in 1985 and Kate Felsen (who scored 18 goals in six league games) in 1988.

Let's talk about goaltending. In 1984 and 1985, Harvard netminder Krikett Johnson earned first-team All-Ivy honors. Johnson is also the only Ivy goaltender to ever post a shutout. She did it against Brown in 1984. Final score: Harvard 15, Brown O.

Then there's Kelly Dermody, this year's starter who led the league in goaltending in 1988. The senior gave up only 22 goals in six league games and posted a .690 save percentage.

This season, Dermody has allowed only 15 league goals in five games. If Dartmouth scores fewer than three goals today, Harvard will break another Ivy record--for fewest goals allowed in a season, set by Penn in 1980.

If the Ivy League were a corporation, then Harvard would be the major stockholder. The Crimson has lost only four times in 53 Ivy games since 1980.

But how about the NCAAs, you ask. Good question.

The Crimson has made four appearances in the national tournament since its loss to Temple in 1981, but only once has Harvard made the semifinal round. Last year, the Crimson played Temple in Philadeplhia and lost, 13-8. If only the national championship could be like the Ivy title...

History lesson is over. At least for now.