CAMBRIDGE – It may not have been the comeback people had hoped for, but it was a comeback nonetheless. For the first time since the third game of the season, a UMass player wearing No. 44 was back on the field yesterday against Harvard.

For the past few years, the defense has been led by No. 44, be it in the person of the graduated Matt MacFarland or in this year’s stalwart, Tom Fallon. But Fallon had been absent from the Maroon and White lineup for 39 days coming into yesterday’s 11-6 victory, so to the Minutemen faithful, the senior certainly was a sight for sore eyes.

“It was definitely nice to see him back out there,” senior midfielder Chris Fiore said.

Fallon’s performance was far from jaw dropping. In fact, on some occasions, he coughed the ball up when trying to clear the ball out of the defensive zone, with passes falling far wide of their marks or balls bouncing off his stick. However, Fallon’s mere presence seemed to bring everyone’s play up a notch.

The foursome of Matt Garcia, Chris Gervat, Jack Reid and Steven Byrnes all had impressive games, while Bill Schell was once again rock-solid in net. Since Schell has taken over as the leader of the defense, he has been on fire, turning aside nearly 63 percent of the shots he has faced. Now, with Fallon back in the lineup, Schell will not need to feel as much pressure as the leader of the defense.

Since Fallon injured his groin against Navy on March 8, the incredibly youthful but incredibly talented defensive corps has taken charge and become the strong point of what is often considered one of the top offensive squads in the country. But with Fallon in the lineup, the Minutemen have one more body out there who can be a force as a longpole, and who will ensure that the Maroon and White will have far more fresh legs on defense than its opposition.

But where Fallon’s presence may truly begin to be felt is this Saturday, when the Minutemen square off against archrival Georgetown. Last year, when UMass dispatched the Hoyas in a 16-13 victory, Fallon went head-to-head with attackman Mike Hammer, who failed to register a point in his seven shots on goal. Hammer, now a senior, leads G-Town in points, and more than likely will be looking to exact revenge on the Maroon and White when he visits Amherst on Saturday.

Without Fallon, the Minutemen showed that they have one of the most talented, athletic defensive units in the nation, allowing just over seven goals per game despite playing a high tempo offensive style. With Fallon back in the lineup, who knows how far the defense could carry this team.