M. Lax Undergoes Tumultuos Year

In a season full of ups and downs, the men's lacrosse team ultimately found a satisfactory way of saluting its 14 seniors with a momentous 14-8 win over Dartmouth in Hanover, N.H. that ended Harvard's year.

With this win, the Crimson (8-7, 2-4 Ivy) avoided a sub-.500 season and also ended the year by winning two straight games.

"We're proud to end it this way," said co-captain Dana Sprong after the win against the Big Green. "Even though our record was similar to last year's, the discipline of the team is higher than before."

Even though the team will be losing 14 seniors, the Dartmouth game provided a glimpse into what next season may be like. Sophomores Matt Primm and Doug Logogian contributed two goals apiece to lead the Crimson in scoring. Primm also added three assists to pace the Crimson's offensive attack.

Freshman Jake McKenna, who turned in stellar performances throughout the season, recorded 21 saves on the afternoon.

The win against Dartmouth, coupled with a victory over Colgate the previous Wednesday, allowed the Crimson to snap a four-game losing streak that had lasted the span of two weeks. Even though Harvard possessed two potent scoring weapons in Primm and Logogian, it consistently made mental mistakes throughout the year that prohibited it from making lasting scoring runs and maintaining its momentum towards the middle of the contest.

Injuries also significantly hampered Harvard's chances for success. For example, Primm, who was the 2000 Ivy League Rookie of the Year, missed a third of this season due to an injury.

In spite of the Crimson's unremarkable 8-7 record, it did achieve some impressive feats this season. Harvard defeated No. 12 Duke earlier in the year, and several Crimson players were honored by the league at the end of the year for their notable accomplishments this season.

Logigian was named to the All-Ivy First Team after racking up 22 points and five assists on the season.

""I was really shocked," Logigian said after winning the award in mid-May. "We made a lot of strides this season, with extra work in the off-season and the big game against Duke. We have great coaches, and the coaches and the older guys talked to me a lot during the season and really helped me gain confidence."

Primm, McKenna and senior Roger Buttles earned All-Ivy Honorable Mentions. McKenna ended up 14th in the nation in save percentage (.607) and made 170 saves this season. He was ranked 18th in his goals-against average (8.92).

Barring injuries, the Crimson will look to reload next season without the leadership of such talented players as Buttles and Sprong. However, as they have proven this season, the skilled underclassmen, led by Logigian, Primm and McKenna, have figured out the right formula for success. The future, which fans have gotten a glimpse of this year, looks bright.