Icewomen Impale Yale, 7-0

The Harvard women's hockey team began its Ivy League campaign with a satisfying 7-0 victory over Yale, Saturday, in New Haven.

The game was a first-line affair as juniors Jen Minkus and Ginny Simonds each recorded hat tricks and freshman linemate Joey Alissi chalked up four assists. Freshman Emily Buxton registered Harvard's final goal.

Simonds opened the scoring with a power-play goal with only 30 seconds remaining in the first period. The junior grazed an Alissi slap-shot which sailed by Yale netminder Maureen Magauren, putting Harvard (2-1 overall, 1-0 Ivy) ahead for good.

"Once we scored at the end of the first we came out flying in the second," Minkus said.

Early worries of being unable to knock the puck past Magauren were easily justified. The Yale senior recorded an amazing 703 saves in 1989-90 in 15 games.

"Although they have an excellent goaltender, we assumed it would be an easy game," junior defender Bev Stickles said. "As soon as we scored, we really loosened up and broke it open in the second."

Second Wind

The Crimson extended its lead to 5-0 with four second period goals. Two tallies apiece by Minkus and Simonds, three of which were assisted by Alissi, put the game out of reach for the Elis.

"As a team, we played well, and our line played well," Alissi said. "We passed the puck better and are seeing each other and the ice better."

Minkus added her third goal in the final stanza off a feed from Co-Captain Sue Cullinane, with an assist from Stickles. Buxton rounded off the scoring with her second goal in as many games for the Crimson. Buxton blasted a rebound from junior Laurie White's shot past Magauren with 38 seconds left in the game.

The Harvard defense was hardly tested. Senior netminder Gillian D'Souza recorded six saves in two periods and sophomore goalie Lexi Shear was forced to make only one save in the final period.

Winning the last two contests by a combined score of 15-0 may or may not have been the best preparation for perennial competitor Brown, whom the Crimson faces Wednesday evening in Providence.

"The offense looks good, everyone is getting to know each other," Cullinane said. "But we need to pick up our game against Brown. We are very evenly matched teams."

NOTEBOOK: Minkus registered her first (three) collegiate goal(s) on Saturday ... Junior Co-Captain Sandra Whyte had arthroscopic surgery on her left knee on Thursday and is expected to return to the lineup sometime after the first of the new year ... Laurie White is also suffering a nagging injury--she has bone chips floating in her right hand.

Crimson, 7-0 at The Whale Yale  0-0-0--0 HARVARD  1-4-2--7

First Period: H, Ginny Simonds (Joey Alissi) 19:30.

Second Period: H, Simonds (Jen Minkus) 3:05; H, Minkus (Alissi) 5:48; H, Minkus (Alissi) 10:51; H, Simonds (Alissi) 11:25.

Third Period: H, Minkus (Sue Cullinane, Bev Stickles) 12:13; H, Emily Buxton (Laurie White, Francie Walton) 19:22.

Saves: H, Gillian D'Souza 4-2-x--6; H, Lexi Shear x-x-1--1; Y, Maureen Magauren 15-16-13--44.

Power Play: Y, 0-1; H, 2-5.