"It depends on how we play. If we play well, we can beat anybody. If we don't, it's a different story. But I think the kids are looking forward to the contest," he said.

All in all, the ECAC tournament championship is an entirely realistic, if not an expected goal for this strong Harvard team.

Second-Seed

The only team ranked higher than the Crimson is Cornell, which won the Ivy League this year. Earlier this season, Cornell defeated Harvard, 2-1, which is the basis for the Big Red's top seeding.

But, on that fateful day in Ithaca, the Crimson played some of its worst soccer all season, yet almost held off the Big Red.

It took a Big Red penalty kick late in the second half to dispose of the Crimson.

"We have the potential to beat them," Weinstein said. "I'd love to play them again."

Because of its high seeding, Harvard will receive a first-round bye. Its first match will come in the second round when it will face the victor of the New Hampshire-James Madison matchup. New Hampshire is seeded third overall.

In its second game of the season, the Crimson and the Wildcats tied, 2-2. But both teams have come a long way since then, and hopefully for Harvard, the Crimson has come further.

"UNH is a good, strong team," Wheaton said. "They haven't won any big games, but they haven't lost any big games, either. It should be a good matchup."

If the Crimson can win its second-round game, it will face the champion of the other bracket: either Cornell, fourth-seeded Rutgers or fifth-seeded Monmouth.

Selection Process

The teams were selected by an ECAC panel chaired by Mary Anne Dowling, the women's athletic director at Villanova. Also on the panel were Kathy McNally of LaSalle, Sally Guerette of Vermont, and Brown coach Phil Pincince.

Pincince's presence on the panel worried several members of the Harvard squad, who remembered the Crimson's horrible 3-0 debacle against the Bears.

"We played pretty badly against Brown, and I thought [Pincince] was going to advise against including us," Weinstein said.