Besides having a storied tradition on their side, the Midshipmen also have an offensive force in its captain, Sean Foster. The 2-meter man has scored at will on the inside, amassing 66 goals in 31 games.

Denying Foster the ball will be key to Harvard's chances of duplicating the October upset.

"We want to prevent him from getting the ball often," Floerchinger said. "What we want to do overall is make them work differently, and make them have to do things they don't do well."

Successfully taking Foster out of the flow will force the Midshipmen to rely on outside shooting, a relatively weak aspect of their otherwise solid all-around game. Additionally, Harvard may implement a pressing defense in order to slow the play down to a pace less favorable to the Navy offense.

Harvard has shown that it can effectively stop Navy from scoring. The Crimson limited the Midshipmen to 5-for-26 shooting in their previous encounter.

If the defense can duplicate that feat, Harvard will likely advance to the second round of the winner's bracket.

"I think are chances are great," Floerchinger said. "We're very prepared, and we know we have the tools to win."