The day wasn't suited for an offensive showing, especially from a Harvard field hockey team that had scored only five goals in eight games this season.

But in the rain and mud of Soldier's Field Saturday, the stickwomen scored twice--on Cindi Ersek's tip-in at 27:31 of the first half and Gia Barresi's shove with one minute left in the game--to beat Dartmouth, 2-0, in front of 120 rain-soaked spectators.

The victory before the largest home crowd of the year raised Harvard's record to 3-5-1 overall. Dartmouth fell to 3-6-1. More importantly, though, the win upped the Crimson's Ivy mark to 2-1 and kept the stickwomen within one-half game of league-leading Penn in the race for the 1985 Ancient Eight crown.

Saturday's showdown marked the return to grace of Harvard's stellar defense--which stumbled in a 3-1 loss to fifth-ranked UMass last Wednesday--and of freshman goalie Denise Katsias, who recorded her third shutout of the year and her second in Ivy League play.

Katsias blocked six Big Green wave and at least two of those--had they come against a less-talented netminder--could easily have been Dartmouth goals.

"Our goalie made some nice saves," Crimson Coach Nita Lamborghini said.

Katsias' save of Dartmouth forward Kate Pearle's breakaway shot at 16:51 in the second half turned spirited cheers from the Dartmouth bench into resigned mumbles.

"She (Katsias) dove and blocked it and then wristed it out with her stick," Lamborghini said. "It was a beautiful play."

Dartmouth's other near-goal came with 3:41 left in the game and Harvard leading 1-0.

Big Green midfielder Terry Fortin snuck inside a wall of Crimson defenders, took a pass in front of the Harvard net and went one-on-one with Katsias.

Her shot from six-ft. smacked off Katsias' shin pads and trickled out of range.

Dartmouth never came close again.

Although the Crimson defense was outstanding, the day really belonged to the offense--particularly to Ersek (two goals on the year) and Barresi (team co-leader in points--along with forward Kate Felsen and midfielder LeeLee Groome--with three.)

Ersek's goal--set up on a corner pass from forward Linda Runyon--was a tip-in of a Felsen blast.

Felsen took Runyon's pass--originally meant for defender Anne Kelly but slowed in the wet grass--and slammed a shot from 12-ft.

Ersek, hovering inside the penalty stripe, got her stick on the ball and knocked it past Green goalie Nicki Demakis.

"I shot it right of the goal and Cindi was there to tip it in," Felsen said.

Barresi's goal late in the second half sealed the victory for Harvard.

Groome smacked a long pass through the Dartmouth defense--crowded around her on the right side of the field, trying frantically to regain possesion in order to score--to Barresi, who stood unguarded three-ft. from the Green goal.

It's All Over

The Dartmouth goalie scrambled to block Barresi's soft slapshot but saw it trickle past her and into the net.

The Crimson squad that played in the downpour Saturday has come a long way since its last game in the rain--a 3-0 drubbing at Northeastern.

"We're young and we keep getting better," Lamborghini said.

THE NOTEBOOK: Dartmouth fell to 1-2-1 in the League...Harvard has now won three of its last four....Before Ersek's goal, the stickwomen had never scored in the first half...Crimson midfielder Jane Grim, who missed the UMass game because of a leg injury, returned to action Saturday...Harvard had 12 penalty corners, Dartmouth had eight...Harvard took nine shots to Dartmouth's eight...Before Saturday, Harvard hadn't scored two goals in a game all year...Harvard's next game is Tuesday against the University of New Hampshire at Soldier's Field...Three of the Crimson's remaining six games are against Ivy teams.