Icewomen Crush UConn, 12-2, Notching Season's First Win

It coudn't have been sweeter.

Coming off of a lengthy exam break and an 0-6 record, the icewomen finally got it together, broke into the win column and devastated the University of Connecticut, 12-2, last night at Bright Hockey Center.

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After compiling a healthy 5-0 advantage by the end of the second period, the Crimson relaxed a little at the beginning of the third to allow the token Huskie scores but then exploded with seven goals in the last ten minutes of the game.

Although UConn--now 0-7--certainly provided less of a challenge than some of Harvard's earlier competitors, the icewomen's vastly improved shooting abilities undoubtedly played the major role in the trouncing.

The Crimson skaters began to hustle the moment they glided onto the ice. Less than two minutes into the game, freshman Rosemary Mahoney took advantage of some in-the-crease confusion to notch Harvard's first tally.

A psyched Crimson team kept up the barrage for the first half of period one, firing shot after shot at the Huskie net. Harvard goalie Katie Williams didn't see nearly as much action--a break for the fledgling goaltender, who is still recovering from a recent bout with mono.

Senior defenseman Sue Putnam aided the Harvard cause with her first goal of the season, a fine slapshot from the point. Minutes later, junior defenseman Alice Hill maneuvered the puck between two Huskies, skated the length of the ice and dumped a quick wristshot behind the UConn goalie.

Despite a little shakiness at the beginning of Act II, the icewomen succeeded in holding off an inept but determined Huskie team. Co-captain Firkins Reed notched the first of her two goals on an assist by freshman winger Vicki Palmer at 7:41, and center Alex Lightfoot made it 5-0 on a power play wristshot from the slot.

But it was period three that helped make up for the frustration the Crimson went home with after all six of its previous games. After UConn hit the net twice in the early minutes of the stanza, Harvard began a scoring spree that did not end until the game's final seconds.

The icewomen scored six goals in three astonishing minutes. After Lightfoot and Reed each scored for the second time, sophomore Sue Yunick shot the puck over the UConn goaline for Harvard's eighth tally.

Lightfoot completed her bid for a hat trick and capped off an outstanding third period at 12:18. Junior forward Sara Fischer fired a beauty into the net, followed by Freshman Vicki Palmer's bullet and junior Barb Coffin's first score of the season.

In the past, Harvard has suffered because no Crimson jerseys have been in sight when a Harvard player has passed in front of the opposing goals. But last night things were different.

"We made some good passes in the offensive end," Coach Rita Harder said, adding "For a change, somebody was there." HOCKEY STATISTICS Harvard (1.6)  3  2  7 -- 12 UConn (0-7)  0  0  2 -- 2

Scoring: Harvard, Mahoney, 1; Putnam, 1; Hill, 1; Reed, 2; Lightfoot, 3; Yunick, 1; Fischer, 1; Coffin, 1; Palmer, 1.

Saves: Harvard, 19. UConn, 38.

Scoring: Harvard, Mahoney, 1; Putnam, 1; Hill, 1; Reed, 2; Lightfoot, 3; Yunick, 1; Fischer, 1; Coffin, 1; Palmer, 1.

Saves: Harvard, 19. UConn, 38.