7. February 24, 1993--men's squash vs. Yale in the national championship. I've already touched on this above, but even for a non-fan of squash, this was pure excitement.

The Crimson and the Bulldogs were tied at four matches apiece, with then-freshman Michael Oh extended to a fifth and deciding game against his opponent. Hemenway Gymnasium alternated between silence and ear-piercing cheers with each point. Oh prevailed, 15-7, giving the Crimson its second straight national title.

6. March 31, 1994--men's hockey vs. Lake Superior State in the NCAA Final Four. This was a game for the ages, which the Crimson tied at 2-2 midway through the third period on a power-play goal by captain Sean McCann '94.

Into overtime the contest went, and for the third consecutive year, Harvard's season ended in the extra session. Laker Clayton Beddoes caught a perfect pass for a breakaway and five-holed goalie Aaron Israel. Nevertheless, Harvard's 24-5-4 record was its best one since the 1988-89 national championship team, as the team only two of its final 23 games.

5. March 7, 1995--women's basketball vs. Dartmouth. It was the final game of the season, and it was for the Ivy League title. And unfortunately for the overflow crowd at Briggs Cage, it was all Dartmouth in a 72-48 bloodbath. The ironic thing was that I had only covered three Harvard games that year, but they happened to be Harvard's only three Ivy League losses.

Well, this reporter stayed off the beat this year, and (coincidence?) Harvard waltzed through the Ancient Eight. The Crimson pounded the Big Green in the Ivy League opener and cruised to a 13-1 league record in reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever. Last year's loss was a tough learning experience, but it made the team ravenous for success this year.

4. November 18, 1995--football at Yale in The Game. I had to listen to this one on the radio since the men's hockey team was playing at Bright Hockey Center that day. Entering the contest with a 1-8 (0-6 Ivy) record, the Crimson was looking to salvage its season.

Trailing 21-16 in the final minutes, Harvard started The Drive. What had gone against the Crimson all year finally helped Harvard out--luck. Senior quarterback Vin Ferrara's pass tipped off two players and right into the hands of senior Adam Golla to the Yale 15. And with less than a minute left, 1, 101-yard rusher Eion Hu plunged into the endzone for the winning touchdown.

Years from now, people will forget about Harvard's 2-8 record. All they will know is how Harvard won The Game in as dramatic a finish as you draw up on the chalkboard.

3. November 4, 1995--women's soccer at Brown. One year earlier at Ohiri Field, the Bears came back from a 3-1 deficit late in the second half to tie the contest. When overtime ended with the score still knotted at 3-3, Brown became the Ivy League champions, while Harvard could only watch as it needed a win for the title.

The stakes were the same at Providence for Harvard in 1995. A win would clinch the title outright, and the Crimson struck first in the opening half as co-captain Sara Noonan redirected sophomore Emily Stauffer's feed through the mud and the Brown defense.

The lead would hold this time, and Harvard threw two primates off its collective back. The win was its first over Brown since 1981, and the Ivy League title was also the team's first in 14 seasons.

2. February 8, 1993--men's hockey vs. Boston University in the Beanpot championship. The game predated my Crimson days, so I was planted three rows behind the Terrier bench at the old Boston Garden with my roommates. Along with Opening Day at Fenway and the Boston Marathon, the Beanpot makes the city of Boston come to a standstill.

Heavily-favored B.U. jumped out on top with a power-play goal, but Harvard retaliated, and through two periods, the score was knotted at 2-2. Two-time Olympian Ted Drury rebounded home the game-winner at 6:29 of the third, and Steve Martins '95 iced the win with a break-away goal with under four minutes to play.

But it was the play of then-freshman goalie Tripp Tracy which stole the show. Tracy exhibited moves that made doctors cringe, but which made the Harvard fans erupt in joy, and his 30 saves were the biggest reason Harvard brought the 'Pot back to Cambridge.