The dream was reborn in defeat.

Last year, the Harvard women's lacrosse team travelled to Hanover, N.H. and fell to Dartmouth. For the first time in six years, the Crimson was not the Ivy League champion.

Women's Lacrosse

1986 record: 11-4

1987 record to date: 5-2-1

(four Ivy games remaining)

Harvard had won or shared the league title in five of the first seven years of the sport's Ivy League history. But in Hanover, in front of 1000 screaming fans, Dartmouth was the new champion.

"Next year," the Crimson players thought, "we'll get it back."

Now--next year, this year--the Crimson is back. The team's two co-captains and all-Ivy selections--Blair Wardenburg and Genie Simmons--are gone. But the core of last year's Ivy runner-up is back. Ready to win back the title. And even do a little more.

The team is young. Nine freshmen and four sophomores are on the roster. But, so far, the Crimson has tamed the Ivy League. Harvard bounced Penn ad Princeton over spring break to leap to a 2-0 league start. In the next two weeks, the Crimson will play five games, four against Ivy opponents.

"We're sitting pretty in the Ivies right now," Harvard Coach Carole Kleinfelder said. "The Ivies look to be tougher than they've been in the past. I think we're capable of doing well, but we have to start playing a more mature-type game."

The Crimson can look for mature play from its captain, Kelly McBride, who led the league in scoring last year with 24 goals. Saturday, McBride helped the Crimson to a breezy 24-9 victory over Northeastern by scoring six goals--all in the first half.

McBride is not the only Crimson player capable of putting the ball into the net. Kate Felsen, Cindi Ersek and Leelee Groome provide an excellent supporting cast for McBride.

"One person can't carry us," Groome says, "we need help from everyone."

On defense, the Crimson is equally strong. sophomore goalie Kelly Dermody continues to show improvement. Lisi Balliere and Katie McAnaney head a quick and stingy defensive corps.