W. Hockey Splits Doubleheader

The Harvard's women's hockey team put forth a strong effort over the weekend, crushing ECAC newcomer Vermont 5-0 and coming up just short against No. 2 Dartmouth, 3-2.

On Friday night, freshmen forward Nicole Corriero's four goals led Harvard (2-1-1, 2-1-1 ECAC) over the Vermont Catamounts (0-8-0, 0-3-0 ECAC) in a lopsided victory.

The Catamounts, who made the jump from Division III to Division I this season, simply could not keep up with Crimson's relentless pressure. The puck seldom left the Vermont zone, as the Crimson outshot the Catamounts 57-4. Senior Alison Kuusisto recorded the shutout.

The Crimson displayed crisp passing, totally in control when on the attack. It picked up every loose puck and swarmed around the Vermont net, creating numerous opportunities.

Vermont junior goaltender Tiffany Hayes made 52 saves.

"We had plenty of chances and we moved the puck very well," said Harvard Coach Katie Stone. "Their goaltender is as good as they get, one of the best in the league."

Despite Harvard's dominance, it took nearly 14 minutes and a Crimson powerplay to open the scoring. With Vermont's sophomore forward Katie McBride in the box for cross checking, Crimson junior center Kalen Ingram sent the puck back to junior defenseman Pamela Van Reesema at the point. Van Reesema's shot deflected off a Catamount defender and slipped past a sprawling Hayes for her second goal of the season.

The Crimson added to its lead with only 10 seconds remaining in the period. Corriero picked up a pass from Ingram at center ice and in a burst of speed, broke away from a defender, came up on Hayes' right, faked a backhand, deked right and found the back of the net.

It was Corriero's second goal of the season and foreshadowed things to come.

Corriero's second goal of the game came midway through the second period. The feisty freshmen stole the puck at her own blue line and was off to the races for another breakaway opportunity. She made the most of it again, scoring unassisted.

The second period concluded much the same way the first did, with a Corriero goal. Ingram darted into the zone and got in the way of a Vermont defenseman while leaving a beautiful backhand drop pass for the incoming Corriero. The Toronto native swept in from the goalie's right and beat her glove side, completing the hat trick. It was the second time that evening the Ontario linemates combined on a goal.

Corriero's final goal came near the close of the third period. Freshman walk-on defenseman Emily Haigh found Corriero open in the slot. The left-winger lifted a backhand from just inside the hash marks into the top left corner.

Corriero seemed most surprised by her breakthrough performance.

"I can't explain it," the forward said. "Sometimes you're always at the right spot at the right time. Sometimes the bounces go your way and sometimes they don't. This was one of the nights when they didI'm in shock right now."

Corriero was quick to credit her coach and teammates.

"Coach has given me a lot of confidence. Having her place confidence in me allowed me to be confident myself," Corriero said. "Kalen [Ingram] in just amazing. Being able to play with great players makes you a better player."

When asked about Corriero, Stone merely smiled.

"We'll keep her."

But Stone was also quick to distribute the credit to the entire team.

"When a kid scores that many goals, it's a collaborative effort."

Ingram was especially pleased with Corriero's performance but was also quick to temper her excitement.

"It's encouraging that Nikki broke out, but we can't rest on our laurels. There are a lot tougher teams out there," Ingram said. "We're up [to playing them], we just have to outwork them. That's been our plan all year."

The Crimson faced one of those tougher teams in the Dartmouth Big Green, and they did outwork them for two periods. But the bounces did not go Harvard's way as Dartmouth scored two soft goals in its 3-2 victory.

Van Reesema once again opened the scoring. Less than two minutes into the game, with Dartmouth senior defender Kristin Romberg in the box for obstruction, Harvard's line of Corriero, Ingram and junior Tracy Catlin ran an efficient powerplay and created good pressure. Van Reesema crashed the net and banged a rebound home on her second effort. Ingram and Corriero were credited with the assists.

The Crimson buckled down on defense after taking the lead. Sophomore goaltender Jessica Ruddock was required to make some tough saves when junior defenseman and captain Jamie Hagerman and freshmen defenseman Ashley Banfield were sent to the box late in the period, Hagerman for interference and then Banfield for cross checking.

The Big Green tied the game midway through the second period when Ruddock lost sight of the puck in a crowded scramble in front of the net. Crimson fans watched in horror as the puck bounced off a skate or stick and trickled slowly and painfully behind Ruddock and into the net. Big Green junior forward Jillian Rockoff was credited with the goal—pure luck should be credited with the assist.

Dartmouth took the lead early in the third period. It created good pressure in front of the net and freshman forward Danielle Grundy banged the puck home when the Crimson defense failed to clear.

Harvard responded 10 seconds later. Catlin picked up the puck off the ensuing face-off and broke towards the goal. The Cambridge, Mass. native buried the puck in the top corner for her second goal of the season.

Though the young Crimson squad had played with the more experienced Big Green for two periods, in the third period fatigue began to take its toll.

Coach Stone double-shifted her top two lines in an effort to create scoring opportunities, but the resilient Big Green began to dominate the tired Crimson skaters.

Dartmouth regained the lead midway through the period when senior forward Kim McCullough fired a Rockoff rebound past Ruddock.

Though the weekend ended on a sour note, Stone was more than satisfied with her team's performance.

"[We lost] only in score, not in effort. Our effort was unbelievable tonight. They've got the horses, we've got the heart," Stone said. "There's no question that our kids outplayed them. They got two soft goals. They score, we answer back. We're a young team, and for those kids to show that kind of character, I'm walking away [as if] that's a win for us. I don't care what it said on the scoreboard."

Ruddock agreed with the coach's assessment.

"For our rookies, this was the first game where we were playing a really tough team," Ruddock said. "They were composed, moving the puck well, they were stronger."

The Crimson hosts last year's national champion No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth and No. 8 Minnesota this weekend. Despite the northern invasion, Hagerman is confident.

"This proves that we can do it," Hagerman said. "This proves that we can play with any team in the country. If we can play with this team, we can beat this team. We clean up a few things and we'll be all set."