Icewomen Rout Hapless Huskies, 13-2

University of Connecticut women's hockey goalie Debbie Kryspin wore a "USA jersey last night during the Huskies" game against Harvard at Bright Center. But even an Olympic-sized miracle on ice couldn't save her and her teammates from a 13-2 rout at the hands of the Crimson.

The only thing that stood between Harvard and an even larger margin of victory was Crimson Coach John Dooley. Dooley relied on his seldom-used reserves for most of the contest and didn't play his first line after the first two periods. He yanked starting netminder Cheryl Tate after a period for backup Tracy Kimmel.

After an unsuccessful power play, the Crimson opened the scoring at 2:48 when freshman Pam DiRubio netted a bouncing puck in front of the UConn goal. The Huskies a club team were playing without four of their starters, including the squad's top scorer and entire first line. In fact, the beleaguered Constitution staters had only 10 skaters.

After a four-minute full, the Crimson struck again. First line center Kathy Carroll took a pass from left wing Diane Hurley and beat Kryspin high. Katrinka Leschey gave the second line another score when she took a beautiful Sue Newell corner feed and pumped it by the red-white-and-blue goalie.

Next up for the Crimson was defenseman Deb Taft. Usually not a scoring threat, the senior scooped up the puck at her own blue line going the wrong way. She reversed direction, skated past four startled Huskies and calmly placed the biscuit behind Kryspin.

Co-Captain Hurley, who has been third on the Harvard scoring charts--trailing only linemates Carroll and Kelly Landry--then decided to take things into her own hands.

Over the next 10 minutes, Hurley recorded a pure hat trick, three consecutive goals.

The second period outburst continued, with Carroll and DiRubio each notching goals to up the Harvard advantage to a cozy 9-0. The Huskies responded at 16:42 with a little offense of their own. UConn right wing Lucy Valois took her lesson from the wrong sport, however, as she did a wonderful Joe Jacoby imitation in leveling Harvard blue-liner Taft. Karen Marron stepped into the newly created gap just like John Riggins and beat Kimmel, to pull the Huskies within eight.

Taft, not particularly amused, waited 29 seconds to respond. She again rushed end to end and shot high on Kryspin, who blocked the shot. The puck sailed up 10 feet and drifted back down on the other side of the goal line.

Early on, it appeared that the third period would be no different from the first two. Eleven seconds into the stanza, third-line center Chris Dooley beat Kryspin on her second try right in front of the Huskie net. The power play goal came on assists from Mary Boland and Kathy Conley, who flanked Dooley on the third line.

After another goal by the Huskies, Nancy Graziano doing the honors. Dooley converted again off a Taft feed. And finally with 20 seconds remaining, Leschey notched her second goal of the night, giving the Crimson its 13th tally.

THE NOTEBOOK: The Crimson's leading goalscorer going into the game. Kelly Landry, was the only non-goalie not to get a point. She played blue line for the first time in the third period...Megan Berthold was sidelined with a pulled groin muscle, but she should return to action Saturday afternoon in New Haven when the Crimson takes on Yale. At Bright Center Connecticut  0  1  1--2 Harvard  5  5  3--13

H Pam DiRubio (Dinny Starr, Katrinka Leachey) 2:48; H. Kathy Carroll (Diane Hurley, Suzanne Tanner) 7:17; H. Leachey (Sue Newell) 8:52; H. Deb Taft 10:14; H. Hurley (DiRubio, Tanner) 14:17; H. Hurley (Newell, Carroll) 1:07; H. Hurley (Carroll) 6:05; H. Carroll (Newell, Hurley) 12:15, H. DiRubio (Genie Simmons, Leachey) 14:16; C. Karan Marron (Judy Heman) 16:42; H. Taft 17:11; H. Christine Dooley (Kathy Conley, Mary Boland) 11; C. Nancy Graziano (Michelle Lweis, Marron) 4:26; H. Dooley (Taft) 16:02; H. Leachey (Tanner, DiRubio) 17:40 Saves, C. Debbie Kryspin, 12-13-18-43; H. Tale 7--7, Kimmel--5-1--6.

Attendance--Low 30s, but sunny.

H Pam DiRubio (Dinny Starr, Katrinka Leachey) 2:48; H. Kathy Carroll (Diane Hurley, Suzanne Tanner) 7:17; H. Leachey (Sue Newell) 8:52; H. Deb Taft 10:14; H. Hurley (DiRubio, Tanner) 14:17; H. Hurley (Newell, Carroll) 1:07; H. Hurley (Carroll) 6:05; H. Carroll (Newell, Hurley) 12:15, H. DiRubio (Genie Simmons, Leachey) 14:16; C. Karan Marron (Judy Heman) 16:42; H. Taft 17:11; H. Christine Dooley (Kathy Conley, Mary Boland) 11; C. Nancy Graziano (Michelle Lweis, Marron) 4:26; H. Dooley (Taft) 16:02; H. Leachey (Tanner, DiRubio) 17:40 Saves, C. Debbie Kryspin, 12-13-18-43; H. Tale 7--7, Kimmel--5-1--6.

Attendance--Low 30s, but sunny.