Senior Jeff Lee notched two goals on Senior Night at Blodgett Pool Thursday evening (photo courtesy Gil Talbot).

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – A strong comeback effort by the Crimson against a nationally ranked team fell short Thursday night, as the Harvard men's water polo team fell in its final home game of 2010, 12-9, to No. 20 Brown.

Brown (13-4, 6-1 Collegiate Water Polo Association) grabbed five first-period goals while stymieing the Harvard (6-12, 0-3 CWPA) offense to go up 5-0 and keep the lead for good from there. The Harvard defense stepped its game up in the second period and shut down the Bears, while the offense picked up two goals of its own to pull the Crimson within three at halftime. The momentum continued in the second half as Harvard outscored the Bears 3-1 in the first four minutes of the third frame to pull within one goal at 6-5. However, Brown returned the favor in the latter four minutes of the third period, outscoring the Crimson 3-1 to retake a three-goal lead at 9-6.

Harvard and Brown matched each other goal for goal in the final period with three apiece, giving the Bears the three-goal victory. Seniors Jeff Lee and co-captain Bret Voith led the Crimson with two goals each. Junior co-captain Luka Babic had three steals in the game and an assist, while junior goalie Alexandre Popp made 14 saves in goal.

Seniors Alex Thompson, Lee and Voith were honored in a pregame Seniors' Night ceremony in their last home game at Blodgett Pool as members of the team. The Crimson is back in action Saturday in a CWPA doubleheader at St. Francis in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. Harvard takes on the host No. 15 Terriers at 2:30 p.m. then plays a nightcap against Queens (N.Y.) at 6 p.m.