“I think as a freshman and as a sophomore he was looking up to the older goalies on the team,” co-captain Bret Voith remarked. “He’s been able to realize his potential and how much he can causally affect the team. He’s been a real game-changer for us.”

But the crucial aspect that has proven to be the real game-changer for Popp is his mentality.

“Alex has grown in the mental aspects of game,” Harvard coach Ted Minnis observed. “In the last game, he was really focused and intense, but having fun doing it. He realizes now [the other team is] going to score sometimes, but there’s nothing you can do about it. You just have to keep going. I think that has turned him into the goalie he is today.”

“I’ve come into place with my mental game a lot more this season,” Popp said. “I have one huge responsibility and it is something I cherish. You can change the momentum of the game. When you make a crucial block, that’s a huge pump-up for the team.”

He may prove to be just the pump-up the team needs. The Crimson is currently 3-6, but as Popp has proven throughout his career, the unthinkable is possible.

“I’ve always known we had the talent,” Popp said. “The fact we can play with these ranked teams, it means we can be a contender. I think the season’s going to end on an excellent note.”

And that mentality, which has proven to be so successful for Popp, just might be able to turn the season around.

—Staff writer Steven T.A. Roach can be reached at sroach@fas.harvard.edu.