"Northeastern is excellent," Dooley stated. "Because they offer scholarships, they're at a great advantage over those schools that don't. There are just not that many women's ice hockey players of great caliber."

"Not only do they have very talented players," Carney added, "but very large ones as well."

Northestern boasts a corps of defensewomen that "shoot the puck as hard as some collegiate men," according to Dooley, and in the person of sophomore sensation Louise Duguay--who leads her team in scoring with 12 goals and eight assists--one of the finest centers in women's hockey.

The Huskies' opponents in the opening round are the all-bark-and-no-bite Terriers of Boston University (1-7), losers to NU earlier this season, 6-0. The Crimson powdered BU 11-1 last Wednesday.

The last time Harvard met Northeastern was in last year's 'Pot, when it had the misfortune of drawing the Huskies in the first round. The Crimson walked out of that contest with its pride, having played the formidable opponents to a 2-2 deadlock in the third period. Unfortunately, an early six-goal deficit left the pucksters on the short end of an 8-2 final score.

But this time the Crimson is aiming to skate off the ice with more than its pride.

A victory would do rather nicely.

"I'm looking for us to go out and play a solid, disciplined game of hockey," said Dooley. "If we make up with our minds what we lack in skill, we can give them a game."

One of the hopeful aspects for Harvard is the presence of freshman Jennifer White in the nets. The young goalie, who after outstanding outings against Yale and Brown is allowing less than three goals a game, will be the most important Crimson link in resisting the swarming onslaught of the Huskie offense.

White will be aided by the Harvard defense, the most consistent aspect of the team's game throughout the season, which is led by Sasner.

At the other end of the ice, Co-Captain and center Genie Simmons will lead the Crimson offensive attack, whose high scorers include Neilson (nine goals, 11 assists), Carney, and the versatile Sasner (three, nine).

Harvard's third line suffered a debilitating blow in the Yale contest, when forward Julie Trotman broke her leg on her first shift of the game. Trotman, who scored her first career goal in the BU rout, was showing definite signs of improvement while fighting her way back from an earlier ankle fracture.

The unlucky freshman will be out for the remainder of the season.

Despite the Trotman injury and the Brown loss, the Crimson's game appears to be jelling on a more consistent basis, and the team's attitude is one of quiet confidence.

So if you turn on your television to watch next Tuesday's Beanpot final, don't be surprised to see the Harvard women there. And don't be surprised if they're giving Northeastern a great game.