Icewomen Snag Ivy League Crown; Earn Berth in ECAC Playoffs

The Harvard women's hockey team is very good at repeating things.

First, it repeated its choice of co-captains--it had re-elected Johanna Neilson and Julie Sasner after last season.

Second, it repeated as Ivy League regular-season champions a week ago.

Third, and most important, it repeated its success at the Ivy League tournament with a come-from-behind 4-3 win over Princeton yesterday at Bright Hockey Center in front of 130 spectators.

The Tigers (who had crushed Cornell, 7-0 in their semifinal game) got on the board first when Princeton junior Annie Soininen put the puck in off the skate of Harvard goaltender Jennifer White. A minute later, freshman Mollie Marcoux skated all the way around the Crimson net to stuff the puck around the post.

But the Crimson were not about to be left out of the rash of championship performances that Harvard teams have garnered this weekend. Sasner got a wraparound goal of her own as the first period was winding down, and then junior Nina Simonds nailed a 55-footer past Princeton netminder Dodie Colavecchio early in the second period.

"It was just an awesome pass from Jo [Neilson]," said Simonds. "I couldn't ask for a better one."

Six minutes later, Princeton's left defenseEleanor Tydings got called for boarding. TheHarvard power-play unit worked around the horn toSasner who knocked in a point shot similar to theSimonds goal just five seconds into thepower-play.

Going in to the third period, Harvard neededinsurance against the Marcoux-Sue Finney -ShariWolkon line which has accounted for most of theTigers' success this year. And there was no moredevastatings way to get the insurance than cashingin on a shorthanded goal.

As Neilson was forechecking on a third-periodPrinceton power- play, she stripped the puck froma Tiger and was in all alone on Colavecchio.

"It's the first time this year I've had aone-on-zero," Neilson said. "When I go against Jen[White] I don't do all that well, but today I justfelt really confident."

She was confident enough to fake Colavecchiodown and backhand the puck in the open side togive Harvard a two-goal lead.

Marcoux scored in the final minute but theCrimson held on to make its second consecutiveECAC Final Four in as many years.

"They play their best against us, and that'sfrustrating," said Princeton coach Tom Ewell.

Neilson finished as Harvard's leading scorer(two goals, one assist) in the tournament. Andevery point was crucial, especially given the factthat the co-captain had to skate with CatherineWolfram and Martina Albright at left-wing--thesecond line was without Christine Burns.

"We had to dig deep," Neilson said. "I wasdistraught at even the first thought of not havingher. We needed an extra push."

But for the Crimson to reach the finals, theyhad to face Dartmouth, a team which hadcontinually frustrated the. Harvard in their lasttwo meetings. The Green had taken a 3-2 overtimedecision last Wedsneday at Bright.

The Saturday contest also featured times whenHarvard was stonewalled by the Dartmouth defense.But within the space of 44 seconds, the Crimsongot all the offense it needed. On a latesecond-period power-play, Neilson took a BritaLind drop pass and slid it past a screened KelleyCoyne. And in the first minute of the thirdperiod, Char Joslin skated through the entire BigGreen defense to score