Maturing Rookies, Old and New

Two years ago, Harvard women's ice hockey freshman Julie Sasner won the Ivy League Rookie of the Year award.

Last year, icewoman Brita Lind won the same honor.

And this year, Crimson freshman Char Joslin is a good bet to make it three straight rookie honors for the Harvard team.

But Harvard's success doesn't stop at the freshmen level. Led by now-junior Sasner and now-sophomore Lind, the icewomen are already off to a 3-1 start and appear much improved over last year's 12-10-1 squad.

The 1986-'87 Crimson squad looks to be the strongest team in the 10-year history of the women's hockey program. "All of the players have experience," sixth-year Coach John Dooley said. "We are now concentrating on team play rather than having to work on the basic fundamentals."

Dooley described his team as one of great depth and leadership. Junior Co-Captains Sasner and Johanna Neilson provide strong leadership, as do other top returning players. Neilson led the team in scoring with 34 points last season. Playing on the blue-line, Sasner added 19 points and earned Second Team All-Ivy honors.

Although she will play defense in man-down situations this year, Sasner will move as a regular to the forward position. According to last season's captain, Genie Simmons, the forward combination of Sasner and Joslin should give Harvard "the scoring power that we really needed last year."

Other top returning players include forwards Lind and Karen Carney, who each tallied 29 points in 1985-'86, and Lisi Balliere, who notched 19 points from the blue-line.

Also returning--and improved--for the Crimson are Amy Hartung, Christine Burns and Nina Simonds. Out most of last season with a broken leg, Julia Trotman has returned this year in prime form.

"This year is our year," Hartung said. "We have the core of our people out there and everyone is playing better because we know how everyone will be skating."

"We are all reacting well together," Carney said, "and our fore-checking is stronger this year."

Jennifer White will again be tending the Crimson goal. White recorded a 2.83 goals-against average as a freshman last year, and garnered a spot on the All-Ivy Second Team.

"We have an outstanding goalie in Jen," Dooley said. "And overall the strongest team we've ever had."

Although the Ivy race is a toss-up this early in the year, the Crimson is definitely among the league favorites. Defending champ Brown will be the team to beat, with Princeton, Dartmouth and Yale will also providing stiff competition. "No one team can rule the Ivies," Crimson assistant Coach Bill MacDonald said.

"We have a really good chance at the Ivy Championships," Sasner said, "although I don't know if we'll ever play on the level of the University of New Hampshire, Providence and Northeastern [traditionally Harvard's three toughest opponents]. We definitely have more depth and new talent [this year]."