The Harvard Women's Field Hockey team is psyched. Really psyched.

And they have good reason to be. On Saturday, the Crimson will open up their Ivy League season against rival Cornell.

On Wednesday, the Crimson's hard-fought, 2-1 rebound victory against Springfield proved that the young team is beginning to come together. The Crimson needed a strong win--and they got just that.

"It felt really good to struggle and fight with this new team," junior Maureen O'Brien said. "We fought hard and it paid off. It was great to know what winning feels like. It pumped everyone up."

The Crimson is going into Saturday's game rejuvenated and confident. And considering that this is not just "any" game, but a conference game, there is even more incentive to defeat Cornell. Ultimately, a first place Ivy League standing would propel the Crimson to the national championships.

"It all becomes that much more important," sophomore Courtenay Benedict said. "It is like a mini-competition inside of the big competition. An Ivy League game is extra special."

Yet the Crimson realize that they can not afford to underestimate Cornell. Last year, Harvard lost a tight game in overtime to the Big Red. Cornell is a very physical team with a never-say-die attitude. Thus, the Crimson must be ready for anything.

"Cornell is a big ball team," junior goalee Jessica Milhollin said. "They hit a big ball down the field. It is important that we get to the ball first."

The Crimson are anxious to prove to Cornell and the entire Ivy League that it is a top contender for the Ivy League title. It may be young and less experienced than some of its opposition, but it is ready to fight until the end.

"Hopefully, we'll be so psyched that we will kill them," Benedict said.