But then, of course, came the second meeting with Dartmouth.
The fan turnout was a big plus, as 2,231 spectators packed Briggs Cage in what had to be some sort of Harvard record, even if most went home in sadness.
"I thought that the support was outstanding," Delaney Smith said. "It was a wonderful display of school spirit--I would like to say thank you."
The fact remains, though, that 23,000 fans would not have given Harvard the Ivy League title. Sure, the championship isn't everything, but a loss is a loss, and losing hurts.
Nevertheless, it cannot be forgotten that the Crimson flip-flopped its wins and losses from last year, from 7-19 to 19-7. That's making some pretty steady headway.
"In the locker room after the [Dartmouth] game," Gelman said, "I was crying and said to [Butler], 'You're going out of here with nothing,' meaning no title.
"Tammy said to me, 'Jessica, if you think I'm leaving here with nothing, you're wrong."'
That's a pretty good way to put Harvard's season. True, there was no title, but there still was a lot.