Chapter Five

It has been just over a week since the members of the Harvard women's ice hockey squad voted to decline their first-ever invitation to the prestigious EAIAW women's hockey tournament.

The fairy tale ending the Crimson had so eagerly sought to its best season in its five-year history--a playoff bid--vanished as quickly as it had come. The rejection of the invitation brought Chapter Five of the Harvard women's ice hockey team to a close and has left many icewomen wondering a what happened to the grand finale.

"The end of the season just seemed to fall off." Junior Deb Taft says. "It seemed like there should have been more"

And as senior Co-Captain Alex Lightfoot adds, the vote not to attend the journey in protest of Potsdam State's invitation just two days after the Bears joined the EAIAWA has left many people on the team searching for something more.

But for Lightfoot, who, along with Co-Captain Vicki Palmer and fellow seniors Jennifer White and Amy Spaulding, has donned her Harvard jersey for the final time, the knowledge that she was an integral part of the squad that finally brought prominence to Harvard women's hockey is enough to overcome the season's disappointing ending.

"I certainly think [the Crimson has] finally arrived." Lightfoot says. "We're getting the recognition not only here but also outside of Boston."

After four years as the new kid on the block, this year's squad proved to be a blockbuster Coach john Dooley turned the Crimson from a perennial loser into a playoff, contender. In his second year at the helm.

And while the team's 11-8 mark didn't quite match last year's 15-6 record, this year's opposition proved to be a far helper obstacle than any before it. "We'd never played the likes of UNH before." Dooley says. "It might not show in the record but we gained some invaluable experience that'll certainly help us in the future."

But Dooley, who is currently directing Harvard's first active women's hockey recruiting drive, prefers to speak of his squad's two highlights: its winter trip to Aspen and its second straight Beanpot championship.

"The Aspen trip was certainly one of our greatest moment. "Dooley says, referring to the week of hockey and skiing out West. "It gave everyone an opportunity to really get to know one another," he adds, "and that certainly proved to be a key to the season."

And few will forget the squad's greatest hour: its dramatic 2-1 upset of Northeastern that gave Harvard its second straight Beanpot championship, a victory Dooley called "Harvard's greatest ever."

That stunning triumph, coupled with a driving seven-game winning streak throughout February, put the Crimson into a position for that elusive first-ever playoff bid.

While the icewomen now relish their invitation, they look with mixed feelings at their decision not to enter the playoffs. The solid core of juniors and seniors--one that could make the 1983-84 squad the best yet--has decided that next year there'll be a grand finale.

Chapter Five of the icewomen accomplished more than anyone had dreamed. You can't help but feel that Chapter Six will do even more.