Hockey Teams Bid Sayonara to Seasons

DURHAM, N.H.-Well, the season for the Harvard women's hockey team is over.

The Crimson (14-9-1) fell to Providence, 8-3, in the semifinals of the ECAC tournament here at Snively Arena Saturday. Providence fell to UNH, 5-2, yesterday in the ECAC championship game.

"It really was closer than the score indicated," Co-Captain Martina Albright said after her last game in a Harvard uniform.

It certainly was closer than 8-3 final.

The score was tied, 1-1, after the initial period, and the Friars had a slim one-goal lead going into the second intermission, recording their fourth tally with no time showing on the clock.

"It is deceiving to stay with them that long," sophomore Sandra Whyte said."

The third period featured four Providence goals, while the weary Crimson could not muster another score.

"After they took a two-goal lead, things looked tough," sophomore defender Bev Stickles said. "It almost seemed out of reach because they're such a strong team."

After the Friars knocked in two more in only a nine-second span in the middle of the final period, a win truly was out of reach for the Crimson.

First Blood

Harvard was able to draw first blood, when Whyte scored her 27th goal of the season.

The standout center stripped a Friar defender at center ice, and went in alone against Providence netminder Shannon Sweezey. Whyte beat Sweezey with a crisp wristshot.

"Sandra's goal was very important," Co-Captain Char Joslin said. "It not only put us ahead, it showed that we could play with them."

Providence tied the score when Heather LaDuke tipped in a loose puck in front of the net.

With less than two minutes gone by in thesecond, Friar freshman sensation Cammi Granatounleashed a furious slapshot which Harvard goalieGillian D'Souza was unable to get enough of,putting Providence up, 2-1.

The Friars only held the lead for a little morethan a minute. Harvard went on the power play whenGranato slashed D'Souza.

Albright recorded the second Harvard goal,which she called, "the prettiest of my career."

The senior wing collected the rebound of aStickles slapshot and knocked it into the cornerof the net before Sweezey could recover.

The two teams then traded goals. Providence'sBeth Beagan, a member of the World Cup team,knocked a Granato pass into the net, and Joslinraced a fierce slapshot past Sweezey later in themiddle period.

A controversial goal with no time remaining onthe clock gave the Friars a 4-3 lead at the secondintermission.

"That goal was the turning point," Joslin said."If the score had been 3-3 going into the third,things might have gone differently."

But it was just not to be.

Providence skated three lines, as compared toHarvard's two. In addition, the Friars used threedefensive units while the Crimson used threedefenders. It was nine-against-15 for the Crimson.

"We were a little deeper," Providence CoachJohn Marchetti said. "That was the big differencein the game."

"We couldn't maintain the pace with just nineskaters," Harvard Coach John Dooley said. "We justdon't have the depth that the scholarship schoolshave."

D'Souza was very sharp in net for the Crimson,making 24 saves on tough shots. Junior defenderSue Cullinane had arguably her best game of theseason, breaking up numerous Friar opportunities.

THE NOTEBOOK: Harvard outscored itsopponents, 72-54, this season... Whyte finshedwith 27 goals and 11 assists for a team-leading 38points...Joslin recorded 16 goals and 18 assistsfor 34 points.

Friars, 8-3 in Durham, N.H.

HARVARD  1-2-0--3Providence  1-3-4--8

First Period: 1, H, Sandra Whyte(unassisted) 6:38; 2, PC, Heather LaDuke (KellyO'Leary) 14:45.

Penalties--H, Charlotte Joslin (tripping)11:30.

Second Period: 3, PC, Cammi Granato (AnnKennedy, Debbie Barnhill) 1:36; 4, H, MartinaAlbright (Bev Stickles, Joslin) 2:54; 5, PC, BethBeagan (Kennedy, Granato) 6:11; 6, H, Joslin(Stickles, Ginny Simonds) 14:12; 7, PC, LisaPaccione (Kennedy, Beagan) 17:59.

Penalties--PC, Granato (slashingg) 2:30; H,Albright (high-sticking) 11:30; PC, Kelly O'Leary(checking) 13:03; H, Sue Cullinane (tripping)16:03.

Third Period: 8, PC, Sarah Coan (LaDuke,Laurie Lashomb) 6:26; 9, PC, LaDuke (Lashomb)8:56; 10, PC, Kennedy (Granato, Beagan) 9:05; 11.PC, Laurie Blair (unassisted) 17:42.

Penalties--PC, Denise Lane (interference) 9:50;PC, Shannon Sweezey served by Beagan (slashing)15:24; H, Whyte (slashing) 15:24.

Saves:PC, Shannon Sweezey 3-4-7--14; H,Gillian D'Souza 14-3-7--24, Lexi Shear x-x-0-0.

Power Play: PC, 1-3; H, 2-3.

Attendance: 160