The Harvard women's hockey team faced off against Northeastern Sunday of Matthews Arena in the quarterfinals of the East-Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) tournament--the fourth time this season the Crimson have taken the ice against the Huskies.

The game's outcome, a hardfought 3-1 loss, confirmed what the previous three match-ups had demonstrated: the Crimson, despite tremendous displays of talent and determination is still a tier below the best women's hockey teams in the country.

"The team couldn't have played any better," head coach John Dooley said. "We had 33 shots on goal which is the most shots we've ever had against them."

The Crimson (11-11-2 overall, 4-5-2 ECAC) fell behind early as the Huskies' Rayanne Conway beat Crimson junior net-minder Erin Villiotte just 1:20 into the game.

Harvard wary of falling too far behind the more talented Huskies (18-5-3 overall, 11-1-0 ECAC) team, pressed the action in the middle stages of the first period and tallied an unassisted power play goal by co-captain Alissi to tie the game at 1-1.

The game remained dead-locked through the second period as both goalies were tested repeatedly.

Two minutes into the third period the Crimson took a tripping penalty--a mistake that proved to be the turning point of the game.

With their first power play opportunity of the game the Huskies broke the tie--scoring at 3:33 of the third. Northeastern, with a goal advantage, tightened its defense and allowed the Crimson only three shots in the third period.

The Huskies sealed their ticket into the ECAC tournament semifinals with another goal at 15:08 of the third to finish the scoring.

The Crimson, feeling the effects of the long season, played its final game with several players hampered by injuries.

Sophomore defender Holly Leitzes played the game with a cast protecting a broken hand. Junior defender Diana Clark was feeling the effect of the flu. Freshman forward Jennifer Duval was shaken up in the first period and couldn't continue in the contest. Alissi was slowed by a knee injury.

Despite the loss, Dooley could only praise the Crimson's efforts and look optimistically towards the Crimson's future.

'Erin [Villiotte] was terrific in goal," Dooley said, "Francie [Walton] played her best hockey game ever. And [Joey] Alissi was just dynamite."

"We have our nucleus coming back next year," she added. "We should be good again."