Puckish Group

The fledgling Harvard women's ice hockey squad boasted some very impressive individuals during its first season as a varsity team, but its 4-11 record proved that the right wing often didn't know what the left wing was doing.

During its disappointing third year, the Crimson played poorly in only a handful of games. If victories were determined by smooth skating, fine individual skills and tight defensive play, the icewomen might have ended up 10-5.

But goals determine wins. Opponents scored almost twice as many as Harvard, and excluding a 12-2 shellacking of the University of Connecticut in late January, other teams outscored by Harvard more than 3-1.

Failure to synchronize on scoring opportunities hindered the Harvard effort. The icewomen would work the puck into a corner and pass it beautifully in front of the cage--only to watch it glide across the ice because no one had been ready for the set-up.

And despite a very impressive first-year-on-skates performanc by freshman goalie Katie Williams, her inexperience showed when opponents caught her off guard on rebounds.

The highlight of a less-than-shining season came at the very end when the Crimson upset a heavily favored Boston University team, 5-3, to work its way into the finals of the second annual Women's Beanpot tournament. The icewomen's valiant fight against nationally-ranked Northeastern University and its second-place finish overshadowed a final 7-1 loss.

But even Beanpot success didn't quite eclipse the rest of the season. As one player put it, "When I'm 98 and my grandchildren aske me how the winter of my sophomore year was, I'll tell them the truth: frustrating."