Well, it beats 17-0. Two weeks after getting pounded in Providence, the women's hockey team finally managed to put the puck in the Friar net but still dropped a 13-3 decision yesterday at Walter Brown Arena.

The Crimson started strong, holding the powerful Providence squad to a two-goal edge through the first period. After falling behind 3-0, Harvard finally broke the ice 7:09 into the contest when standout center-defenseman Tania Huber capped a three-on-two break with a wrist shot that slipped just under the crossbar into the upper right corner of the net. Sara Fischer and Julie Scarr picked up assists on the play.

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Two tripping penalties to Providence gave the icewomen a chance to pull within one, but they could not convert the two-man advantage.

Harvard successfully killed off a penalty to Fischer as the opening session ended, but the Friars ended any hope of an upset by burning netminder Nelia "Gump" Worsely and her slow-skating teammates for seven goals in the middle stanza.

Coach Joe Bertagna and a small but enthusiastic crowd did have something to cheer about, though, as the Crimson tallied twice near the end of the period. First, Firkens Reed grabbed a loose puck at center ice, beat a defenseman down the right boards and skated across the Friar crease before slipping a neat backhander between the goalie's pads. Less than a minute and a half later, Fischer managed to poke in a Huber centering pass for Harvard's last goal.

Sue Duffy and Mary Ellen Reardon led the Providence attack, scoring five and two goals respectively.

CRIMSON LINES: Said coach Bertagna after the game, "We played better tonight, but Providence is still out of our league"...the squad travels to Browne & Nichols to face Boston University this Saturday at 3:30 p.m.