"We were really dejected after the second goal, especially since we were sure we could come back in the second half," Mejias said.

After LaBarre's goal, the Crimson was unable to generate any other substantial scoring chances. Dartmouth added insult to injury in the final minutes when Danny Markman scored against backup Crimson goalie Russell Mosier to bring the shutout to 3-0.

Mejias, who had been relieved three minutes earlier, finished the day with three saves. Big Green goaltender Ben Gebre-Medhin finished with four saves to collect his 10th win of the season.

The loss was the Crimson's third in a row and gave the team as many Ivy losses as it had collected all of last season. Harvard's goal for the remainder of the season seems clear.

"We want to win our remaining three games so that we can have some positive momentum going into next season," Mejias said.

For those who will not be on next year's team, the last three games still represent a chance to finish with heads held high.

"We definitely want to go out with a few wins and on a high note," said Kelly, one of the team's three seniors.

Harvard will travel north to face Maine this Wednesday and will wrap up its 2000 campaign against Columbia at home and Pennsylvania on the road.