By Caitlin Colligan, Sports Information Intern

"You gotta have heart."

This phrase, immortalized by the coach of the seldom-victorious Washington Senators, served as words of encouragement in the musical Damn Yankees. Since then it has been echoed by hundreds of coaches and athletes as a source of inspiration. The meaning of the phrase has not been lost on Lolita Lopez. In fact, it has shaped her way of thinking about her sport.

The senior co-captain of the women's volleyball team, who originally hails form Puerto Rico, asserts that for her, "it's not about winning and losing. I take it all to heart." Although a loss still counts in the standings, Lopez feels that if she can look at her play and honestly say that she did everything possible to win, it's not as hard to take. She accepts that sometimes the competition can simply be better, or a team can successfully find a hole in the opposition's defense.

But Lopez insists that sometimes "two teams are so well matched that it really does come down to who's playing with more heart. I've seen that happen more than a few times."

"Who wants it more?" That's the question Lopez, a government concentrator who aspires to be a reporter at the conclusion of her college career, asks herself when she is face-to-face with her competition. It is also the question she asks of her teammates. She feels that a team's tendency to over-analyze a situation can be one of its biggest obstacles. Too much focus on the physical component takes away from the mental aspect of the game. Lopez believes that to play well, you have to connect the mind and the body.

"Someone can fill the perfect athletic portion, but I think anyone can beat anyone else on any given day, if they have the desire in their hearts."

Lopez credits her family for helping shape this philosophy. They have always been extremely supportive of her athletic endeavors and each pursued their own successful athletic careers. Her father is the women's track coach at Rice University in Texas, the same college where her brother lettered in basketball. Her mother played volleyball in Puerto Rico in the 1940s -- on cement courts, before kneepads were a requisite part of the uniform.

The Lopez family came to the continental United States from Puerto Rico when Lolita was just 3 years old. The rest of her family remains in Puerto Rico, and Lopez visits whenever the opportunity arises. Without hesitation, she says her family has used athletics as a tool for teaching her about life

"My dad is an excellent motivator. I've seen him succeed in taking athletes to great heights -- people who nobody ever thought would succeed."

As a young athlete, Lopez would wonder if she was indeed choosing the right sport, because her smaller frame is not typical of a volleyball player.

"I used to think 'I'm not very tall, or the most powerful player out there, so maybe I should do something else,' " says Lopez, who ran track for three years at Harvard in addition to lettering in volleyball. But her parents taught her to use what she does have to make herself better, to take advantage of everything in every situation. That is how Lopez learned to use her aggressive nature -- the desire in her heart -- to propel her to success in her chosen sport.

The mind-heart-body connection is working for her. Last season she led the squad with 41 aces, ranked second on the team in digs (326), and third in kills (230). One of Lopez's greatest attributes is her versatility, a talent not lost on head coach Jen Bates.

"Lolita came in as a setter because that's what we needed her to do," recalls Bates about Lopez's freshman year. "It showed her dedication and commitment to the team. She'll do whatever she's asked to do."

And she'll do it well. Lopez was named to the All-Tournament Team at last year's Harvard Invitational. She registered at least 20 digs in six different matches, and had 41 blocks on the season.

According to Bates, "Lolita is a phenomenal athlete who plays smart and keeps the big picture in mind."

This year, part of that "big picture" is winning the Ivy League championship. After finishing as a runner-up in the league two years in a row -- falling to Princeton in the finals in 1995 and Brown in 1996 -- Lopez hopes the third time is the charm.

"Our goal is to be at our best at the Ivy League tournament, and also to prove that we're good enough to win by playing well along the way," says the Mather House resident.

It is the memory of those tough losses at the Ivy League championships that helps Lopez focus on this year's goals. She encourages her teammates to do the same, reminding them of the importance of keeping the desire in their hearts, and to draw on that desire for strength in competition.

Bates acknowledges that Lopez is a true leader. "As a coach, it's a rewarding feeling to have a leader you can rely on."

Her teammates will also rely on that inner strength. And Lopez looks forward to the challenge, with all her heart.