The players agreed with their coach.

"Sure we had some bumps in the road," Costello said. "But I think we came out and showed that we can play with anyone in the nation. Giving up two corner goals isn't that bad against a No. 1 team."

With the strike of midnight a few days past, Harvard is now able to assess its performance during the year and determine what needs to be changed for next year.

"This year taught us a lot," Corkery said. "Sure we could have won more games, but we played so well together that next year's team can build on that. This year's team just needed a few more goals and a bit of luck."

The Crimson vows to take some of these important lessons into next year. Not least of all, Harvard knows that the team's unity will carry over.

"We're a very close team," Costello said. "I think the juniors will strive to match the leadership of the [outgoing] seniors. Our jobs will be easier with this great group of girls [returning underclassmen] who have one more year behind them."

The team's 2000 season has certainly been unpredictable, but its reliance on "team love" has made the result a satisfying one.