In women's hockey, there's good, there's better and then there's the University of New Hampshire.

And the Harvard squad, which falls some-where in the middle, learned that the hard way last night, dropping a 6-1 decision in the first-ever meeting between the two teams at Bright Center.

But the icewomen should be at least thankful that it wasn't worse; because it could have been much worse. Take for example:

* The fact that UNH outshot the Crimson in the game, 40-11:

* The fact that the Wildcats didn't allow Harvard to take its first shot until more than 11 minutes were gone in the game; and

* The fact that UNH started sluggishly, only converting 17 first-period shots into one goal.

On top of all that, picture a team that in six years of action has lost only one game and has notched 92 victories. Match those Wildcats against a smaller and slower Crimson squad and it'll be a one-sided contest, much like last night's.

Despite its slow start, UNH clearly dominated from the beginning, using a crisp passing game and an aggressive offense to keep the icewomen on the defensive for most of the evening. But the determined Crimson defense kept the score close, until the Wildcats exploded for three third-period goals.

"I couldn't be any prouder of the girls." Harvard Coach John Dooley said afterwards. "We played the best team in the country and kept it close. We certainly played as well as we could."

Dooley praised Crimson junior goalie Cheryl Tate, whose 40 saves in one game was a season high, for remaining poised while the Wildcats took shooting practice. "She played a super game and really kept us in the game," Dooley said.

But the Fitchburg, Mass. native proved unable to stop a quick slapshot at the 8:58 mark of the first that put UNH on top 1-0. On the play. UNH's Bridget Stearns took the puck from teammate Laura Brown and smashed it into the Harvard twines.

"They use the slapshot so well," Dooley said. "They just have so much strength that it's impossible to keep stopping them."

The Crimson defense shut down the Wildcats in the remaining minutes of the first, but couldn't stop them in the second, when UNH upped the score to 3-0. Tate made several diving stabs in the first moments of the final 20, before she finally got some help from her offense.

At the 4:51 mark, Diane Hurley took the puck from Jennifer White and put it just past the outstretched stick of UNH goalie Kathy Kazmaier. With the score 3-1, however, the Wildcats opened up their passing game and exploded for their three unanswered goals.

"Their skating is really good, their passing is really good and their game plan is really good." Crimson Co-Captain Vicki Palmer said. "I don't think we have anything to be ashamed about."

And Dooley, whose team is now 4-5 (UNH is 4-0), said his squad can only profit from the game. "We'll be a much better team, especially when we begin our drive in February, because of what we learned tonight," he said. THE NOTEBOOK: The icewomen won't retake the ice until February 2, when they will meet Wesleyan at Bright Center ... Hurley's goal was her third in two nights ... The Crimson was coming off a last-minute 5-3 win over Brown Tuesday night. Bright Center Harvard  0  0  1-1 UNH  1  2  3-6

UNH Bridget Steams (Laura Brown, Robin Balducci) 8:58. UNH, Balducci (steams) 2:21; UNH, Kip porter (Brown) 8:07; H. Diana Hurley (Jennifer While) 4:51; UNH, Portar (Loria Hutchinson, Lauran Apollo) 6:33; UNH, Tarry Sirack (unassisled) 9:31; UNH, Cheryl Calder (Sara McKay, Debble Arey). 15:56.

Saves Harvard, Cheryl Tato, 16-13-11--40; UNH, Kathy Kazmaier, 2-3-6--11.

All Sparse