Ex-Harvard Assistant Coach Nicole Crepeau returns to Ohiri Field today.

But this time, she's on the wrong sideline.

The last time Crepeau was in Cambridge, she was helping the Harvard women's soccer team to last year's 3-2-1 Ivy League record.

Now, she is leading a very strong Providence team and looking to thrash her alma mater.

Crepeau has won a school-record 11 games in her first year, including victories over Yale, Brown and national power Hartford.

"Nicole's done a great job," Harvard Assistant Coach Stacy Flionis said. "Providence has always had great athletes, but it took a good coach like her to get them organized."

"She was a great player and a great coach," Co-Captain Amy Weinstein said.

But don't think this respect and admiration will soften the Crimson players' competitive edge.

They would dearly like to show their old coach that they can get along just fine without her.

Place Your Bets

While Providence is ranked 20th in the country, records against common opponents suggest this will be a great game.

The Lady Friars beat Yale, 1-0, but Harvard won 2-0. On the other hand, the Friars defeated Brown, 4-3, while the Bears had previously defeated Harvard, 3-0.

"These two teams are very even," Flionis said. "If either team gives just a little bit, the other team will take advantage."

The burden is on the Crimson, then, to come out strong, unlike the way it has in the last three games.

The Crimson's mercurial play makes it extremely difficult to predict how it will match up against the Lady Friars.