There has been little joy for the Harvard men's lacrosse team this year.

The Crimson has dropped its last four games and plummeted to a dismal 2-7 record overall, 1-2 Ivy. One-goal losses and poor performances against weaker teams have turned a normally difficult season into a painful one.

While the team's frustration cannot be denied, the laxmen remain hopeful that with today's game against Massachusetts (6-2) at 3 p.m. on Ohiri Field they can salvage their pride, if not their season.

Indeed, a victory against the 13th-ranked Minutemen, who have traditionally dominated Bay State lacrosse, would greatly boost the Crimson's morale and prove what the squad has always believed--that it can compete with the best teams in the nation.

"Right now we're playing for pride," junior defender Mike Tauckus said. "We can really show a lot of people what we are as a team."

There are, in fact, signs that Harvard can defeat Massachusetts. On Saturday, fifth-ranked Princeton was nearly upended by a fired-up Crimson squad on Finney Field. The Tigers barely pulled out a 7-6 victory. And, more telling, one week ago, Harvard kept pace for most of the game with second-ranked Brown, a team that closely resembles Massachusetts, with its aggressive offense.

For Harvard to emerge victorious today, it will have to continue the solid defensive play that kept the team in the Princeton and Brown games. The Minutemen employ a frenzied, run-and-gun offense that depends heavily on the attackmen and thrives off unsettled situations.

All-America senior Jim McAleavey powers the Massachusetts' attack, leading the team with 10 goals and 22 assists. The main recipient of his feeds is fellow attacker Mark Millon, a sophomore from Huntington, N.Y., who has dumped in 25 goals this season.

Harvard must play tight team defense. However, the burden lies with the Crimson long-sticks, who must keep the pressure on the opposing attackers, forcing them away from the crease.

The Crimson must also resist running against the Minutemen and, instead, maintain its conservative, methodical offense. Harvard will try to control the ball and implement the patient, six-on-six offense that worked so effectively against Princeton.