Colby Crushes Icewomen, 6-2, Despite Late Crimson Surge

In an almost totally one-sided game, the women's varsity hockey team was soundly defeated Saturday by Colby, 6-2, in Waterville, Me.

It was a tired Harvard team that got off the bus in Waterville. After a three-and-a-half hour ride and only a 40-minute break before they hit the ice, the skaters just weren't up to an hour of solid, grueling hockey. "We just didn't wake up in time for the game," coach Rita Harder said.

The Colby goals hit the dazed Crimson defenders rather regularly. The first came 4:59 into the first period, and the rest at even intervals--6:13, 14:48, and in the second period, at 3:03, 6:06 and 14:22.

When the barrage was all over, the Crimson was down, 6-0, at the end of two periods. Then, Harder said, the icewomen woke up. "In the third period with the tension off, they started to relax and play their game." The result was a tremendous surge of energy that catapulted the team into some of its best play all season.

Four minutes into the period, captain Firkins Reed Slipped one in to break Colby's shutout. And only a minute and a half later--still on the same shift, co-captain Lauren Norton did likewise, bringing the score to 6-2. However, the rest of the period, while definitely Crimson-controlled, was unproductive.

Penalties also hurt the Crimson. Three of the six Colby goals were scored in power-play situations. The Harvard penalty killers just weren't able to fend off the oncoming Colby tide. "They were just intimidated," Harder said.

The intimidation lasted most of the game. "We just weren't playing our game," Norton said. "We were just going through the motions."