What should have been a spectacular finale was instead a humbling exit.

In the final home game for three of its players--graduating seniors midfielder Wells Mangrum, back Matt Edwards and captain Ryan Kelly--Harvard (7-8-1, 1-5-0 Ivy) succumbed to Columbia (8-5-2, 3-2-1 Ivy), 2-1 on Saturday afternoon at Ohiri Field.

The day started on a high note, as Mangrum, Edwards, and Kelly came out onto the field for a pregame ceremony. The players were given flowers to the ovation of a grateful Harvard crowd who had witnessed four years of their competitive effort.

Two hours later, the Crimson mood was notably less festival. Though Harvard had long been eliminated from playoff contention, the team was distraught at its failure to win the game for its seniors.

"We're seriously disappointed," freshman back Isaac Kim said. "We wanted to go out and win the game for the guys, but we just couldn't play through."

The first half of the game was foreboding in itself. The Crimson looked sluggish from the start while the Lions seemed more intense when attacking the ball.

Still, the Harvard defense kept the ball on Columbia's side of the field for most of the half, giving the Crimson offense several chances to score. Sophomore back Mike Lobach, for instance, was noticeably effective on headers and clears.

Yet in what has been the story all season, the Crimson offense never put the ball into the net, despite numerous opportunities.