Over the last couple of years, the Harvard women's basketball team has found itself playing second fiddle-second fiddle to other teams in the Ivy League and second fiddle to its own legacy.

This year's season shows that, next year, first chair in the Ivy season symphony may be Harvard's for the taking, a feat that would break Harvard's back-to-back run of silver medals.

Penn dominated the Ivy season this season, going 14-0 in the conference and 22-6 overall as Quaker senior forward Diana Caramanico broke the Ivy League career scoring record previously held by Harvard star Allison Feaster `98. Harvard, which played Penn close in the two teams' second meeting, took second in the league with a 9-5 conference record, 12-15 overall. As with all second-place finishes, this year's season is a dress rehearsal for next year.

Caramanico is graduating, and taking Penn's dominance with her. Dartmouth, another traditional rival, has slumped in recent years, although sophomore forward Katherine Hanks, former Ivy League Rookie of the Year, will return to lead the Big Green next year.

But while the league is changing around it, the Harvard team is changing internally, too.

With the graduation of this year's Harvard seniors, the on-court institutional memory of Harvard's glory years departs with them. Seniors

Lisa Kowal, co-captain Kristen Boike, and Carrie Larkworthy are the only remaining players to have played and practiced with now-legend Feaster, a guard/forward for the WNBA's Charlotte Sting. The fourth senior, co-captain and North Carolina transfer Melissa Johnson, played against Feaster in the NCAA tournament when Johnson was a Tar Heel.

Next year's team, helmed by a strong class of seniors, including point guard Jenn Monti and small forward Katie Gates, will still skew young and deep. Anchored by the freshman frontcourt tandem of Hana Peljto and Tricia Tubridy, who came into their own this season, the team has all the weapons to claim the Ivy title.

After Coach Kathy Delaney-Smith's conquering of cancer last year, Peljto was the feel-good story of the year for the Crimson. A Bosnian war refugee, the 6'2 Peljto dominated opponents with an all-around, inside-outside game. She averaged 16.1 points per game (ppg) and 8.1 rebounds per game (rpg) on her way to a unanimous selection as Ivy League Rookie of the Year. She led the conference in both field goal percentage (.497) and in three-point field goal percentage (.483). Peljto notched four double-doubles on the year.

"You can't stop her," Delaney-Smith said. "She'll either rebound, or she'll shoot a three or she'll drive. She's only going to get better. She's filled with passion for the game."

Tubridy, a 6' forward, was the second leading scorer and rebounder for the Crimson, averaging 8.3 ppg and 6.3 rpg. She was also named to the All-Ivy Rookie Team alongside Peljto.

"Tricia does a lot of things that don't show up in the stats columns," Delaney-Smith said.

It was these two players who helped Harvard bounce back from a horrific 1-10 start. The lone win over that month-long span came in a 54-45 home contest against New Hampshire. Losses came against national teams Florida and Arkansas, as well as more local competition like Northeastern and

Rhode Island.

Once the two freshmen got past their rookie jitters, the rest of the team seemed to settle down, too, and just in time for the Ivy League season.

After a home win against Boston University, the Crimson went on a 6-2 tear in League contests, splitting with Brown and beating every other Ivy team except Penn. All along the way, Harvard's defense was the key. "Our shooting comes and goes," Peljto said. "Defense is definitely our constant."

On Feb. 17, though, Harvard's quest for a title would be thrown for a loop. In a home game against cellar-dwelling Yale, the Crimson dropped a heartbreaking game in overtime, 72-61. Harvard would then alternate wins with losses for the rest of the season, beating Princeton, losing to Penn, topping Columbia and falling to Cornell.

A 73-60 win over Dartmouth on March 6 was a bittersweet end to the season. It was a strong win over a tough and hated rival, but it didn't mean a title.

Like most recent years, the Crimson's season was marred by injury to key players. Melissa Johnson, a 6'5 center and a second-team All-Ivy selection a year ago, spent much of the year sidelined with injury. When she did make it onto the floor late in the season, she found her role taken over by Peljto and Tubridy. She was forced to fight with sophomore sister Sarah, sophomore Kate Ides, and junior Lindsay Ryba for time in the post.

Two seniors who made significant contributions this year were Kowal and

Larkworthy, two players whose injury-riddled careers had limited their contributions in years past. Kowal usually started in a two-point-guard lineup alongside Monti. Larkworthy, used as a defensive stalwart for the instant energy she brings, was one of the first off the bench to play a wing spot.

Gates, a strong junior small forward and clutch shooter, earned honorable mention All-Ivy for her all-around play. She should be one of the offensive options next year after Peljto.

And it will be up to Gates, Monti, Peljto and Tubridy to make next season live up to the promise shown this one. Add in a fifth starter from the deep bench, and this team should be ready to take center stage.