Hodge pointed to the halftime deadlock as a positive sign.

"We've developed a lot since Easterns last year," she said. "The first half against UMass showed us that we can compete with the top teams in the east."

Added Gunderson, "We've gone from being an all-right team to being a legitimate threat. Other teams recognize this and know that they have to play better against us. And they have."

Harvard finished the weekend against Brown. The first half ended with the Crimson holding a slim 5-4 lead, and the team feared another second-half collapse, this time against a lesser-regarded opponent.

But the Crimson defense more than rose to the occasion. Led by sophomore goalkeeper Danielle McCarthy, the Crimson held the Bears to a single goal in the second half, as the Crimson won, 8-5.

"Brown's one of the teams that's gunning for us," Hodge said. "So this was an important win."

The Crimson will now experience a relative lull in its schedule with divisional meets at MIT and Connecticut College before three major tournaments next month.