WEST CHESTER, Pa.--Change the scenery, change the importance of the game, but don't expect a different result.

The Harvard women's lacrosse team did what it usually does against Princeton Saturday at Farrell Stadium.

The Crimson won.

But this time, the stakes were higher--a bid to yesterday's NCAA championship game.

Despite an early Tiger lead, Harvard captured a 7-5 victory, its 18th-straight victory over an Ivy League opponent. The last time Harvard lost to an Ivy foe was in 1986.

Princeton stormed to an early 3-1 advantage, but Harvard recovered to post a 4-3 halftime lead. The Crimson expanded the margin to 6-3 with 18:23 left in the game.

Harvard was sluggish coming off an 18-day layoff because of exams.

"Princeton came out fast and they caught us sleeping," Harvard Coach Carole Kleinfelder said.

Protecting a 6-5 lead late in the game, the Crimson relied on its defense and goalie Kelly Dermody, who finished with nine saves. Crimson midfielder Jenny Walser put the game away with a goal off a pass from Karen Everling with 1:43 left in the contest.

The Tigers rallied late in the second half thanks to goalie Demer Holleran. Holleran stopped 19 shots before Walser's screamer ended Princeton's bid for an NCAA title.

"We had a lot of breakdowns coming out of our defensive end," said Tiger Coach Chris Saylor, who graduated from Harvard in 1981. "Demer would make a great save to stop Harvard. But then we couldn't get the ball past midfield."

Julie Clifford scored twice for the Crimson and Char Joslin added one goal and an assist.

THE NOTEBOOK: Penn State topped Temple, 9-2, in the other semifinal Saturday to join the Crimson in the NCAA championship.