The first four goals of the second stanza all belonged to the Crimson, who grabbed an insurmountable 15-4 lead with 12 minutes left in the game.
With sophomore goalie Liz Williamson and the rest of the Harvard defense stubbornly turning back any Dartmouth advances, the game's outcome quickly became clear.
Two goals by the Big Green in the last three minutes, while ending the Crimson's bid at a second-half shutout, could not obscure the basic fact: This was a big, big win for Harvard.
With the postseason only a week and a half away, the team could not have picked a better time to step up its level of play.
Saturday's impressive 18-8 win over Cornell and yesterday's pasting of Dartmouth indicate that Harvard is finally ready to challenge the teams at the top of the national rankings.
Then again, if anyone ever really had any doubts about this Harvard team, Colligan could have easily dispelled them.
She probably would've predicted yesterday's win back in early March. At Dart--Holleran (2), Devens (3), Bruce: Harvard--Colligan, Edgars (2), Berkery (4). Winters, Downing. Walton (3), Buxton, Chehus, Burke, At Dart--Devens, Harvard--Colligan (2), Winters. At Harvard--Williamson (9).