"Some of the hardest moments have been overtimes, especially against Northeastern," Landry said. "I think fatigue was definitely a factor there. We just don't have the rush of energy to generate shots on goal.

"We'll throw it into their zone and we won't be able to attack and put pressure on them."

"In terms of conditioning, that's really not much more we can do. We sprint hard...we lift weights," Landry said. "When you don't have the numbers to put three or four lines, people are gonna get fatigued. Pretty much every game, you're gonna have a shift where you want to get off."

While Harvard had to wrestle with its own fatigue, the opponent was able to lift its play to another level. Like an exhausted 400-meter runner, Harvard would "hit the wall" as the other team sprinted to victory.

"[Northeastern] could turn on the energy right at the end and we couldn't," Alissi said.

Just how tiring is it for the Crimson women? Players admit to soreness after games, but do not recognize a more than usual amount of fatigue during games.

"I know that I get slower as the game progresses, but I don't consciously realize it because you don't have time to think about it," Alissi said.

But the Crimson's problems were greater than just slowing down as the game progressed. The team had an unfortunate habit of losing its overall aggressiveness at the end of games. Its attacking play in the first and second periods gave way to a more conservative trend in the third in order to conserve energy.

"Our second period play could match any team. It was the best we played," junior defender Francie Walton said. "Every third period, though, everyone got exhausted. The attack was forechecking less aggressively. The defense was more hesitant to attack the puck as well.

"I think [fatigue] caused the defense not to hold on to the puck as much, to play more defensively so that we pace ourselves," Walton said.

The fatigue affected not only the defense, but the teamwork of the offense.

"As soon as you make a bad play, they can capitalize on it," forward Alissi said. "You're tired and so you make a pass [on offense] that you wouldn't normally make and they intercept it."

Harvard Coach John Dooley, while distressed by these trends, drew on his eternal optimism to deliver upbeat pep talks between periods.

"Coach tries to psyche us up between the second and third," Landry said. "I think the expression he used is 'fresh as a daisy.'

This season was not ultimately successful in the win-loss column for the Crimson skaters. But with only one senior graduating, and many promising young returnees, Harvard hopes to improve next year.

The silver lining to this season's shortage of players was that the team became tight-knit because of its smaller size.

"We're definitely a close unit," Walton said. "It's been really fun. No one has been complaining about ice time. Our small number has done a lot for our spirit. I definitely think this is the most cohesive team unit. No one person is expected to do it all."

The team's closeness has ultimately made the season a positive experience in spite of the losing record.

"No one on our team is really used to losing. They came from winning programs," Alissi said. "I think our attitude has been able to carry us through, though. We're a small team and we're all pretty close. It's been a very positive experience for everyone, although we haven't been winning. Our attitudes have been incredible. I give everyone credit for that."