Icewomen's Season Ends With Playoff Defeat at UNH, 6-1

It wasn't supposed to end this way.

Not for Harvard women's hockey captains Winkie Mleczko and Diana Clark, who have been the bedrock of the team since they arrived on campus. Or for senior goalkeeper Erin Villiotte, Harvard's all-time shutout leader. Harvard1 UNH  6

No, the 6-1 loss to the University of New Hampshire in the ECAC quarterfinal Saturday night in Rochester, N.H. was not the way the women had hoped to close out the season.

But the team knew they had their work cut out for them when they took on the Wildcats, ranked second in the ECAC tournament.

"They're a great team," sophomore forward Christa Calagione said. "They passed well and they're quick."

That offensive prowess translated into a game that, despite Harvard's best efforts, was played predominately in the Harvard zone.

UNH cycled its offensemen around the net, forcing Harvard's defense to play man-to-man. But it was hard for the Crimson skaters to keep up with the speedy UNH offense.

"When they got loose, that's when they got their goals," Villiotte said.

All the UNH goals came from in close on rebounds from the besieged Villiotte, who turned in a stellar finale with 36 saves.

"Erin came up with some awesome saves," sophomore Lauren Turner said. "She kept us in the game."

UNH forward Brandy Fisher proved to be Villiotte's nemesis for the evening, scoring the first two UNH goals at 3:36 and 9:28 in the first period and finishing the night with a hat trick and an assist.

The man-to-man defense also tired out a Crimson team with only three lines, as compared to the four lines of the Wildcats.

Still, the Crimson held close, going into the first intermission down only 2-1, thanks to sophomore forward A.J. Mleczko.

On the play, Calagione got the puck deep in her zone and fired a pass to junior blue-liner Holly Leitzes who took it to the Harvard blue line.

There, she rifled a pass to sophomore forward A.J. Mleczko,. who sent the biscuit home from just inside the UNH blue line, beating UNH goalie Dina Solimini.

From then on, however, the Crimson was mired in its own zone as it tried to stave off the relentless UNH attack.

But despite the aggressive UNH offense, Harvard did an excellent job of staying out of the penalty box, with only one foul the entire game.

Still, UNH seemed to get stronger as the game went on, scoring three unanswered goals in the second stanza and one in the third to put the game out of Harvard's reach.

In addition to their aggressiveness on the ice, UNH brought a rowdy cheering section to the contest, which celebrated the first UNH goal by hurling a fish to center ice.

Still, none of this affected Harvard's skaters.

"I block it out when I play," sophomore forward Colleen Malek said.

Though the final score wasn't what they had hoped, the seniors left the ice satisfied with their final effort.

"I'll take a game like this any day--we played well," Villiotte said. "But it hasn't quite hit me that it's all over yet." NEW HAMPSHIRE, 6-1 at Rochester Arena Harvard  1  0  0  --  1 New Hampshire  2  3  1  --  6

First Period

UNH--Fisher (Tatarouns, Dunn) 3:36.

UNH--Fisher (Dunn, Tatarouns) 9:28. (PP)

Har--A. Mleczko (Kellogg; Calagione). 16:16 (PP)

Second Period

UNH--Catlin (Ramins) 8:34.

UNH--Pickles (Turner) 10:54.

UNH--Dunn (Tatarouns,Fisher) 15:09.

Third Period

UNH--Fisher (Tatarouns, Cross) 16:01.

Saves: Har--Villiotte 17-6-13 36; UNH--Solimini 7-7-5 19.

Power Play: Har--1-2; UNH--1-1.

Attendance: 254