Then she put away her slipped on her skates, and assumed tri-captain duties with the icewomen, leading Harvard with 21 assists.

"I salute Kelly for all she did all over the ice," Dooley said. "She's a self-made hockey player."

Liz Ward, the starting center, also who did not play four straight years with the Crimson, taking last session off.

With 15 goals and 16 assists, as well as some of the sharpest passing skills on the squad, Ward added a considerable punch to the offense. "There's no way we won't miss Liz Ward," Dooley said.

Fittingly, all four had either a goal or assist in Saturday's contest.

And then, in goal--perhaps the biggest success story of all.

"Four years ago Tracy Kimmel said to me. "I'll play whatever position you want," and for three years she was there right behind Cheryl Tate," Dooley said.

Tate, Harvard's all-time leader in every netminding category and as All-Ivy team member, was a rather hard act to follow.

But Kimmel did it--with a flourish.

"She's done an outstanding job for us," Dooley said of his goalie, who finished the season with 833 save percentage, a 3.36 goals-against average--and a shutout in her final outing. Furthermore, Kimmel's 2.80 g.a.a. in Ivy outings led all league starting goalies.

Five dedicated individuals, each both a product of and force behind the strength of Harvard's women's hockey program.

And from pinballs to all-stars, Dooley has an ample share of such individuals-enough to have turned his original curiosity into a consuming dedication.