Yale Topples Icewomen; Freshmen Shine in-Debut

Despite a season-opening 3-2 loss to Yale, the Harvard women's ice hockey team left New Haven yesterday with a promising vision for the future.

Freshmen notched both Crimson goals, a reassuring sign for a squad that lost six starters to graduation after finishing last year with a 12-9-1 record.

Gone are goalie Cheryl Tate and leading scorers Kathy Carroll and Diane Hurley: In their places are senior goalie Tracy Kimmel and a crop of impressive freshmen.

"The freshmen were absolutely outstanding," said Kimmel. "This is the first year that we've gotten such a large group of talented new players."

Even goals by Yardlings Julie Sasner and Karen Carney weren't enough, however, to contain a determined Bulldog attack.

Bow Wow Wow

The Yale icewomen had never beaten Harvard, although they came close last February, battling to a 1-1 overtime draw at New Haven. Harvard came out on top later in the season, winning 4-1 in Cambridge.

"They were hungry," Kimmel noted. "It wasn't so much that we played badly but maybe our hearts weren't in it the same as theirs were."

Yale didn't waste any time, as Anne Bingham connected just 1:30 into the game, on the Elis' very first shot on goal.

Harvard responded six minutes later, as Sasner shot the puck from the point. "It was mostly a deflection," explained left wing Carney. Deflection or no deflection, the puck sailed past Yale goalie Kathy Brady to tie the contest at one.

The Elis added two tallies in the second period, and took a 3-1 lead into the final round of play.

But Harvard, dominating the offense despite the lack of scoring, wasn't about to give up quite yet. "We came out flying in the third period, and really pounded them," said Kimmel.

Hanging On

Midway through the period, Sasner drove the puck into the net from the corner, with assists by Liz Ward and Tri-Captain Dinny Starr, cutting the deficit to one.

But even a last-minute barrage of Crimson shots couldn't produce another goal, and time ran out with the Bulldogs hanging on for the win.

Outstanding work by Brady, who registered 27 saves, was what transformed a 20-shot Harvard edge into a one-goal Yale victory.

"She just threw herself everywhere," an admiring Kimmel said of her counterpart. Kimmel said of her counterpart. Kimmel, in only her second start ever, played valiantly in a losing cause. "Tracy made a few really key saves, especially at the end," said Carney.

It could have been nerves, lack of experience, or plain bad luck. Whatever the reason for the loss, the icewomen will have a chance to redeem themselves when they travel to Brown tonight for their second game of the year.