"We put everything else aside this year," Wilmot said. "All we wanted to do was win."

Harvard captured its eighth outright Ivy title by defeating Brown, 2-1, on Nov. 9.

Bears goalie Patrick Rea made 13 saves, but Kohler broke his heart on a fake, notching the gamewinner. Brown senior Eric Block scored on a pass from freshman Ryan Smith, but Harvard snuffed out the rally and Dupuis won his 11th consecutive game.

Harvard closed out the regular season by winning its 15th consecutive game, a 4-1 defeat of Hartwick. The 15 victories broke the team records for most single-season wins (14, in 1969 and 1984) and longest win streak (also 14 in 1969).

The 1996 team, however, had one more chapter to write in the annals of Harvard soccer.

On a wet, chilly Sunday in the first round of the NCAA tournament against B.U. (10-6-3), Harvard's hopes seemed as gloomy as the afternoon. Terrier forward Nick Bone scored on a cross pass from back Dean Smith in the first 52 seconds.

Twelve minutes later, midfielder Sigurd Dalen scored for a 2-0 Terrier lead--the same score by which B.U. had defeated Harvard two years ago in the first round of the NCAAs. Meanwhile, Terrier goalie Bryan Murphy shut out Harvard in the first half despite 16 Crimson shots.

Senior Peter Albers, however, was equally flawless in goal in the second half, Meanwhile the offense stormed back.

"We were just dominating [B.U.] in the second half," Silva said. "All we needed was a goal."

In the 70th minute, Silva provided just that. Felled by a Terrier defender in the box on a breakaway, Silva was awarded a penalty kick which he subsequently shot into the lower left corner of the net.

"After that goal, the floodgates opened," Silva said.

One minute later, McLaughlin, who led the league in scoring during the regular season with 11 goals and 13 assists, tallied the equalizer on a Kohler assist.

McLaughlin teamed up with Vrionis in the 88th minute to cap the rally. McLaughlin trapped the ball off a corner kick opportunity and tapped it to Vrionis, who headed it into the net for his second career goal and Harvard's school-record 16th win.

"It was awesome to be a senior, to be on the favored team," Vrionis said. "The tournament was great--it's what I'll remember about college soccer. I still get chills when I think about it."

"That second half was probably the most exciting half I've ever been involved in," Silva said. "It's the win we'll remember forever."

Hartford ended Harvard's stellar season with a 3-2 overtime defeat of the Crimson on Dec. 1.