No Contest: Icewomen Blank B.U., 8-0, in 'Pot

The Harvard women's ice hockey team rolled to an easy 8-0 victory over the Terriers in the opening round of the women's Beanpot last night at Bright Center.

Harvard will host Northeastern in the 9 p.m. championship game next Tuesday night at Bright. The Huskies conquered Boston College, 11-0, in the other first-round game last night.

It was obvious that the club-level Terriers were in for a long evening when the Crimson scored less than a minute into the game. Throughout the evening there seemed to be twice as many Harvard players on the ice: wherever the puck went, a Crimson skater was there.

Freshman Sandra Whyte scored an unassisted goal 38 seconds into the game. Harvard dominated the action in the remainder of the period so much that Tri-Captains Brita Lind and Julia Trotman decided to watch the rest of the game from the stands, along with the rest of the starting lineup. B.U. was still helpless against the onslaught of the Crimson's second and third lines in the last two periods.

"This is a good game because it gives the second and third lines some playing time," Lind said. "It's a game to work on skills."

During the second period, B.U. saw its only power-play opportunity of the game but could not even clear the puck out of its zone more than once.

Even when the Crimson was at full strength, Harvard's defense consistently kept the Terrier attack from entering the offensive zone. Harvard goaltender Gillian D'Souza saved only three shots during the game, while the Terriers' Cathy Corgan made 67 saves.

The duo of Kate Flather and Catherine Wolfram notched two goals, including the second point of the evening less than three minutes after Whyte's game-winner.

Freshmen Beverly Stickles and Ceci Clark combined for the third goal at 8:18, and at 9:52, Flather fed freshman Lauren Messmore to give Harvard a 4-0 lead at the end of the first period.

In the second period, freshman Elizabeth Hansen drove to the net and scored unassisted at 12:49. The second Wolfram-to-Flather tally followed less than a minute later.

Clark knocked in a shot by Senior Martina Albright after a save by B.U.'s Corgan 12 minutes into the third period. Messmore wrapped up the Crimson scoring with her second goal, off of Wolfram's third assist of the game.

With the shutout against the Terriers complete, Harvard now focuses on some tougher competition--Northeastern, which has captured the last five 'Pots.

"We're going to have to play our very best," Harvard Coach John Dooley said. "We'll be going in with a very positive attitude. They have an awfully strong team. They're the best team in women's hockey."

Harvard has won two titles and is the last team since Northeastern to take the 'Pot. The Crimson won the tournament in 1983.

THE NOTEBOOK: Whyte was named Ivy Player of the Week for her stellar performance in last Saturday's 5-3 victory over Princeton. She notched a hat trick, including a shorthanded goal at the beginning of the third period...Harvard hosts St. Lawrence Saturday and Cornell Sunday at Bright Center...The Terriers have not won the Beanpot since 1979, the tournament's inaugural year. Boston College has yet to win a 'Pot...The Crimson's Beanpot record now stands at 11-10.