Before the game, during the game, even for a while after the game--the Harvard women's lacrosse team didn't know.

Just hours before the Crimson trounced Dartmouth, 13-5, yesterday at Ohiri Field to claim its third consecutive Ivy League title, the National Women's Lacrosse Coaches' Association had announced its national rankings.

But Harvard hadn't heard, didn't know.

The Crimson expected to be number one. It was almost inconceivable that Harvard wouldn't be ranked number one.

After all, the Crimson (10-0 overall, 6-0 Ivy) is the only undefeated team in the nation. Last week's topranked squad--Penn State--fell to Princeton last Wednesday. And Harvard already had defeated the Tigers--in a decisive 6-2 victory at Princeton in late March.

But Harvard Coach Carole Kleinfelder knew. She had checked, had already found out.

Harvard wasn't first. Or even second. The Crimson went down in the polls this week--into third place behind Penn State and Princeton, who are tied for first.

Kleinfelder didn't tell her players. She didn't want them to know.

And she's glad she kept the news to herself.

Harvard took the field thinking it was a number-one team. And the Crimson, again, played like a number one team.

Carole Kleinfelder was happy.

"You bet I'm pleased," Kleinfelder said. "I thought we needed a big game today. We just weren't really clicking. If you look, you'll see that this was our second largest-scoring game."

"We have been struggling with the attack," Kleinfelder continued. "I thought they came together today. It was nice to finish with that--it sets us forward again."

No Hope

Seventh-ranked Dartmouth (8-4, 3-3) didn't have a chance against the Crimson. Sure, the Big Green had Anne Moellering, who has already tallied a school-record 57 points (52 goals, five assists).

But Harvard had junior Julie Clifford--who surpassed Moellering's goals-per-game average with five tallies--and junior Maggie Vaughan, who stuck to Moellering like glue, holding the Green attacker to three tough goals.

"[Kleinfelder] wanted us to really shape it up and sharpen our game," junior Jenny Walser said.

Carole Kleinfelder was happy.

The transitions were smooth--smoother than they've been in recent games. No problems with break-up plays in the middle.

The defense was tough, giving Moellering and fast-footed Ginger Smith a lot of trouble in front of the goal. Co-Captain and goaltender Kelly Dermody did her usual solid job, blocking eight shots.

And Harvard won its third-consecutive Ivy title. The win was sweet. In 1985, when the seniors played in the first of what has now become four Ivy title games, Dartmouth walked off with the crown. This was revenge.

Still, other things were looming big above Ohiri Field. National rankings. NCAA Championships.

"With everyone studying the rankings and so caught up in that kind of stuff, obviously we do have our eye on bigger things," Walser said. "But the Ivy title is beautiful and fine and perfect for now. We have to take it one day at a time and not let our heads get too big."

Walser didn't know. She didn't know that there was no reason for a swelled head now. The Coaches' Association took care of that.

At least for this week.