The Harvard field hockey team (9-9, 5-2 Ivy) continued to build and improve in the 1998 season, tying for second in the Ivy League with Yale and competing in the East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) tournament.

The squad battled several nationally ranked teams to narrow losses despite having 10 freshmen on the squad. With an experienced squad and a new turf field, the Crimson will look to break into the next level of competition next season.

"We were always one goal away," captain Tara LaSovage said. "Next year's team has a lot within its reach."

Harvard got out to a strong start in the 1998 season, crushing Vermont 5-0 and Ivy foe Columbia 4-1 in the first two weeks of play. An early match-up against No. 3 ranked Connecticut, however, proved too much for the Crimson, as the team battled for a 3-1 loss.

"The UConn game was tied until late in the game," LaSovage said. "It was a lot closer than the score suggests."

On the heels of the close UConn loss, the team dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 game to Yale in overtime. Refusing to wilt, Harvard bounced back and reeled off five consecutive victories through the middle of the season. The Crimson streak included crucial league victories over Penn and Cornell, and well as decisive wins over regional opponents Providence and New Hampshire.

Capping off the streak, Harvard battled to a tense 1-0 win over Stanford. The defensive prowess displayed by the Crimson helped keep the Cardinal under control, as the win provided momentum for the squad.

"Stanford is an up and coming team," LaSovage said. "It was a big win for us. Our defense stepped up and held under a lot of pressure. It gave us a lot of confidence."

Fresh off the victory, Harvard entered the toughest stretch of games on its schedule. The team fought to close losses against top-20 teams from Boston College and Northeastern, but struggled in a 5-1 defeat to perennial powerhouse Princeton. The Tigers went on to win their fifth consecutive Ivy title with an undefeated league record and made its third straight Final Four appearance.