If the Crimson is going to succeed with this schedule and make its first NCAA tournament since 2006, it will have to pull out some close contests. Last season, four of the team’s five losses were by two goals or less, crippling its tournament chances.
“A shot here and a turnover there, and it could have been our game,” Tillman said. “Two years ago it wouldn’t have even been close. We’ve now put ourselves in a position to win some games. We’ve learned how to compete and how to play at that level, but now we have to get over that hump and learn what it takes to get over that hump consistently.”
Coming off of a solid 2009 season, opposing teams will be eager to take down Harvard in 2010.
“We were kind of able to sneak up on some teams last year,” Cohen said. “We’re not going to be able to do that this year. Teams are going to know we have talent. We’re just taking it one game at a time and trying to get better and to play our best lacrosse every day.”
His teammates are well aware of that extra target, but don’t think it will affect their play this season.
“We’ve got a lot of young guys playing and we’ve got some great leadership,” senior Ben Smith said. “I think it’s going to shape up to be something special.”