If only Harvard could play non-league opponents every match.

Since starting Ivy League play in early October, the Harvard women's volleyball team has garnered only a 2-5 league record while going 3-0 against other opponents.

Yesterday evening at the Malkin Athletic Center, the Crimson (12-12, 2-5 Ivy) appeared unstoppable as it cruised to a 15-4, 15-6, 15-2 victory over Holy Cross (11-15) in a match that took less than an hour.

In what had become an unshakable pattern in this up-and-down season, Harvard again came out of its slump against Ivy League teams--in this case tough losses at Yale and Brown--by throttling a non-league opponent.

Unfortunately for the Crusaders, they were the next team on the schedule. Having lost to the Crimson, 3-0 earlier in the season, Holy Cross fared little better in the rematch.

Early on in the first game, Harvard quickly ran away with an 11-2 lead before the Crusaders called a timeout to try and ice the fiery Crimson offense.

It didn't work. Nailing three straight points, Harvard got to game point with a kill from the outside. After Holy Cross sided out and aced a serve to pull to 14-4, senior outside hitter Angela Lutich sided out with a kill. Sophomore setter Mindy Jellin quickly closed the deal with a tricky dump to midcourt.

"[Jellin] was wonderful on offense and [freshman blocker] Lauren [Gallagher] was effective at blocking," Harvard Coach Jennifer Weiss said.