Entering the third period down 4-3 against Princeton Saturday, the Harvard men's lacrosse team's fuel gauge read full.

One period, one goal and four penalties later, Harvard's tank was down to empty. And Princeton was just revving up.

The Tigers unleashed eight goals in the fourth period to blow out the Crimson, 13-3, at Ohiri Field.

The crushing defeat mathematically eliminated Harvard from the Ivy League title hunt--although, for all intents and purposes, the Crimson was out of contention weeks ago. Harvard is now staring at three road games (two against solid teams, Yale and Massachusetts) and a very long, post-season rest (read: another no tournament season).

At the opposite spectrum sits Princeton. The Tigers, ranked fourth in the nation, moved to 7-2 overall, and, with their Ivy record now at 4-0, Old Nassau has a virtual lock on at least a share of the Ancient Eight crown.

Coach Bill Tierney's squad certainly showed why it's among the nation's best Saturday.

Harvard played an aggressive first three periods, shutting down Princeton's dreaded slow-down attack behind strong play from junior Eric Bentley and Captain Brian Connolly. In fact, the Crimson held Princeton scoreless for the second period and let in only one goal in the third.

But the Tigers couldn't stay silenced for long. Harvard accumulated penalty after penalty in the second half (eight total) and rarely got a chance to shoot. Princeton, mean while, kept the Crimson bottled up in its end. The Tigers collected on only one of eight extra-man chances, but their patient, painfully efficient attack eventually wore the Crimson down.

Each time Harvard made even the slightest defensive error in the fourth frame, the Tigers capitalized. Behind sophomore sensation Kevin Lowe (I goal, 4 assists), gargantuan senior Justin Tortolani (3 goals) and surprise star junior John Burstein (3 goals), Princeton rattled off goal after goal.

Only one tally came on a break-away. The rest came through pure lacrosse: crisp passes, careful positioning and old-fashioned hustle.

The deluge started 32 seconds in the fourth, when Burstein put the Tigers up 6-3 off a feed from senior midfielder Ed Calkins. Then came Lowe at 2:26. Sophomore midfielder Scott Reinhardt at 3:15. Burstein again at 4:22. And on it went. Princeton tacked on four more goals. But by that time, Harvard was done. Out of gas. End of story.

THE NOTEBOOK: All-America goaltender Scott Bacigalupo finally got some rest Saturday. After Princeton's 12th goal in the fourth period, Tierney sent in reserve Dave Shefferman. The senior, however, got about as much action as he would have on the bench. He had to make only one save...Maybe it was the cold weather, but Tierney was as bitter as could be Saturday, chiding the referees all afternoon long. Who knows what he was angry about? His team got called for only one penalty all game...Harvard junior Marty Dolan tallied a goal and an assist, including Harvard's last goal of the game, a beautiful breakaway at 13:14 of the second period. PRINCETON, 13-3 at Ohiri Field Princeton  4  0  1  8  --  13 Harvard  1  2  0  0  --  13

G:Princeton--Justin Tortolani (3), John Burstein (3), Scott Reinhardt, Taylor Simmers, Andrew Moe, Kevin Low, Greg Waller, Jim Todd, Evan Garfein; Harvard--Mike Porter, Martin Dolan, Paul Faust. A: Princeton--Lowe (4), Simmers, Moe, Reinhardt, Todd, Andy Madden; Harvard--Jamie Ames (2), Dolan. S: Princeton--Bacigalupo 6, Shefferman 1; Harvard--Chris Miller 16.