The men's team fared no better, dropping a 2-1 decision. The Crimson had to win the game to keep its hopes of an NCAA bid alive. But Doug MacGinnitie scored the game-winner late in the second half. No NCAA bid for the team many had tabbed as the favorite to win the national championship.

At least the first three games that Homecoming Day were close.

Later that afternoon at Dartmouth's Memorial Field, the Big Green football team was a mean, lean fighting machine. The defending Ivy champion Crimson committed six turnovers and fell, 38-7. Harvard's chances of finshing on top of the Ivy standings for the second year in a row were slim even before the game began.

After Big Green running back David Clark set an Ivy League record by scoring on a 97-yd. touchdown run and wide receiver Craig Morton caught seven passes for 199 yards, those chances disappeared.

February 14, 1989, Briggs Cage, the Harvard men's basketball team hosted the Duke Blue Devils, the nation's 11th-ranked team.

Trailing 32-21, Harvard went to the full-court press and racked up eight unanswered points. Duke 32, Harvard 29.

The Blue Devils outscored Harvard, 66-30, the rest of the way. But for those few minutes that Tuesday night at Briggs, the Crimson had excited the sellout crowd and challenged the big, bad visitors from the Harvard of the South.

November 19, 1988, The Stadium, The Game.

One Game ago at Yale Bowl, the Crimson captured the Ivy title with a 14-10 victory over the Elis. This year's Game may have lacked the drama of a title game, but not the desire.

Yale won, 26-17, and Harvard (2-8 overall, 2-5 Ivy) ended its worst season since 1950.

Earlier that day at Ohiri Field, the men's soccer team salvaged its season with its best offensive performance of the year, defeating Yale, 4-3.

Februrary 4, 1989, Jadwin Gym, Princeton, N.J.

The Harvard men's squash team, after collecting 72 consecutive victories, lost for the first time since February 6, 1982, dropping an 8-1 decision to a determined Princeton squad.

"We got our doors blown open," Co-Captain Doug Lifford said. "They rubbed our faces in mud. I hope we get something positive out of it. It was not a good day in Harvard squash."

But it was a good day in Harvard track, as both the men and women swept the Greater Boston Championships. Freshman Derek Horner, who captured three events, led the men's squad to its first title since 1976. The women's team, sparked by the performance of junior Meredith Rainey, easily defeated its competition.