Less than a minute after what would be the Big Green's final goal, Downing found freshman Liz Schoyer (one goal, one assist) in front of the net unguarded.

Cohen never had a chance, as the point-blank shot zoomed past her. And just as Harvard's offense exploded in the middle of the first half, so it did in the second.

This time, however, it took only 2:37 for the Crimson to tally four goals, as senior Joey Alissi, Downing and senior Emily Buxton netted shots.

Alissi scored the last goal of the game with 8:11 left, and the Harvard blitzkrieg ended as Dartmouth finally changed goaltenders.

"We let up in the beginning of the second half," Walton said, "[but then] we brought it in and kept it going."

Then, all the Crimson could do was watch the scoreboard clock count down on its biggest and best victory of the year.

The Harvard bench, unsurprisingly enough, was euphoric.

"It was the best game ever," McAnaney said triumphantly. "We did exactly what we had to do--we showed ourselves and everybody else what we're capable of."

Later, as the interviews were winding down and as this reporter was eating a plum supplied by a thoughtful parent of one of the Harvard players, Kleinfelder walked over unsolicited and said, "I just want to say that I am very proud of this team."

The Crimson is quite deserving of that assessment.

Playoff Notes

Harvard is undoubtedly in the playoffs, but it remains to be seen when and where it will play. NCAA coaches will decide the pairings tonight, but this much is all but certain: Princeton and Maryland will get first round byes, while Loyola, Virginia and Harvard will join one other team in the first round.

That other team will either be Dartmouth or William and Mary. If it is Dartmouth, then the Crimson will host the Big Green next weekend. If not, then Harvard's plans for Saturday depends on where it is ranked and the respective travel costs for the four teams, since the pairings are made to minimize them.