As the situation up front began to stabilize, the outlook in goal suddenly changed.

The Crimson’s starting goaltender, junior Nora Guyer, recently decided to take a year off. Sophomore Laura Mancini will be Harvard’s new No. 1 back-stopper.

“She is working extremely hard, and we have every confidence that she will rise to the occasion,” Nelson said.

The team will also be expecting some freshmen to contribute immediately.

Of the team’s eight newcomers, at least three and possibly four will likely be in the starting lineup for the season opener.

Elaine Belitsos should be an impact player as she brings excellent stick skills and scoring to the center of the midfield. The addition of Kelly Noon to the defense should help the transition game, while Catherine Sproul adds skill on the attack. Casey Owens is also expected to break into the lineup when healthy.

“We expect all the freshman to get some playing time across the board,” Nelson said. “They are one of the best classes we’ve had in years.”

That means a lot coming from Nelson, who was around for three Ivy championships during the Crimson’s run of seven consecutive titles in the late eighties and early nineties.

The middle of April will be a defining stretch for Harvard, asPrinceton and Dartmouth visit Cambridge within five days of each other.

Many seniors will also be circling March 30 on their calendars. That’s when the Crimson travel to New Haven to take on the Bulldogs. Harvard has lost to Yale each of the last three seasons.

“Our biggest rivals are Princeton, Dartmouth and Yale,” Walton said. “We have lost to Yale by one goal every year I have been here, and this year that’s going to change.”

With any luck, that and many other things.