"Our defense was solid all year," said Chu. "We worked well as a group when the pressure was on us."

Harvard's unbeaten streak was stopped by then No. 3 Connecticut. The Crimson captured two more wins, following the loss, before heading into a Halloween day showdown versus then No. 8 Dartmouth to determine the Ivy League champion.

The Crimson battled all afternoon, but two early goals by the Big Green sealed Harvard's fate. The Crimson got on the board late, but the Dartmouth won the game, 2-1.

"We had high expectations," said Chu. "And losing to Dartmouth didn't help. It was disappointing."

Still, Harvard won three of its last four regular-season games, and drew a home contest versus Central Connecticut State in the first round of NCAAs.

Harvard's offense came alive at the perfect time. The Crimson crushed CCSU by a 4-1 count, moving on to a second-round rematch with Hartford. The Crimson was hoping to avenge its earlier loss to the Hawks.

Unfortunately, talent-rich Hartford had other plans and ran Harvard out of the playoffs with a 3-0 win. The Crimson's season had ended and with it, an impressive era in Harvard women's soccer history.

The Crimson graduated eight seniors this season: co-captains Stauffer and Devon Bingham, Miller, Marynick, Chu, Burney, Meredith Bagley and Brynne Zuccaro. The Class of '99 leaves with a career record of 54-13-4, and the claim of putting Harvard women's soccer on the proverbial national map.

After first-round NCAA Tournament losses to UMass in 1994 and 1996, this corps of players saw Harvard through an improbable and impressive postseason run in their junior year. The Crimson avenged its earlier losses to UMass with a convincing 2-0 win in the first round in 1997.

Harvard then hosted George Mason in the second round for a chance to move on to the national quarterfinals. In triple overtime, Miller found the back of the net to lift the Crimson to a 2-1 victory and a match-up with national powerhouse UNC.

Versus North Carolina, the team that has won 15 of the 18 NCAA-sponsored national championships in women's soccer, Harvard dueled valiantly before falling by a narrow 1-0 margin. The Crimson finished 1997 ranked No. 6 in the nation, and Harvard women's soccer had made its mark.

1998 also marked the end of the Stauffer Era in the Ivy League. Arguably the greatest female player to don an Ivy League uniform, Stauffer graduates as Harvard's all-time assist leader and a four-time All-American. This year Stauffer was awarded the NCAA's highest honor when she was named one of the NCAA Top Eight athletes, male or female, from any sport at any division, including junior college.

But as an era ends for Harvard women's soccer, a tradition continues. Larson and Zotter will captain a Crimson squad next year that returns a wealth of talent. Foster, juniors Ashley Berman and Julia Blain and sophomore Meredith Stewart solidify a strong, veteran offense.

"I think they'll do great next year," said Chu. "I can see outsiders underestimating them, but the upcoming seniors are a very strong class."

The Harvard women's soccer team should be just fine next season as it looks to regain the Ivy League title, but the 1998 season will be remembered as the auspicious finale of one of the most dominant classes Harvard has ever seen.

WOMEN'S SOCCER

RECORD: 12-5-1, 6-1-0 Ivy

COACH: Tim Wheaton

CAPTAINS: Emily Stauffer, Devon Bingham

KEY PLAYERS: Stauffer (5 goals, 11 assists), Naomi Miller (6, 6), Jessica Larson