The Harvard field hockey team has got an itty-bitty problem.

They aren't winning.

Besides that, things are going great.

The team is playing reasonably well, and has even shown some flashes of brilliance.

But the Crimson's opponent has always shone brighter. Or more consistently. Or simply done enough to get a win on the board.

After rebounding from a 1-3 start with two straight wins, Harvard (2-2 Ivy, 4-8 overall) has dropped five of its last six games, including Saturday's 3-0 loss to Princeton in the Garden State.

For the most part, the Crimson is playing good teams. Princeton is currently ranked 14th in the nation, and Harvard has also lost to numbers eight, 15, 17, and 18.

In other words, it's not like they are playing the Little Sisters of the Poor.

The 4-8 record screams out, nevertheless. And the schedule doesn't get any easier.

Today, Harvard hosts Northeastern, who is tied for the eighth spot with UConn, who earlier defeated Harvard, 3-1.

Despite all of the losing, the team is in good spirits. It could easily roll up and die, but it hasn't.

For instance, against Princeton, Harvard truly outplayed its hosts for much of the second period. But the Crimson couldn't get the ball past Tiger goalie Lix Hill, and ended up losing the game.

"There's a fine line between playing with a team and winning versus a team," junior goaltender Jessica Milhollin said after the game. "I believe that UConn was the only team this season that we couldn't win against--that really outplayed us."

A good example is the loss to William and Mary. The score was 3-0--which looks like a blowout. Right?

Wrong, In this reporter's honest opinion, the Tribe was pretty pathetic.