Ever since it dropped a heartbreaking 2-1 overtime loss to eventual national champion New Hampshire in the ECAC quarterfinals last March, the Harvard women's hockey team has had a feeling that things would be different in 1998-99.

And it sure looks that way after two games. With two nonconference road wins, defeating No. 4 Minnesota (1-1-1) 3-1 and blanking Mankato State (0-3) 10-0 in Minnesota's Mariucci Arena, Harvard (2-0-0) appears to have an endless pool of talent, and the Crimson's strong showing in Minnesota last weekend may improve Harvard's No. 5 preseason ranking.

"I have been impressed with the level of our play," said freshman Jen Botterill, who won a silver medal last winter in Nagano as a member of the Canadian Olympic team. "There is so much talent on this team, and we have developed some really positive rivalries that are going to make us better."

To say Harvard demolished the opposition at the All-American East-West Challenge at Minnesota's Mariucci Arena might be an understatement. The Crimson outshot its opponents by a combined total of 99-25. Harvard took advantage of opponents' penalties, scoring three goals in its eight power play chances, and it did not give up a goal in eight shorthanded situation.

Junior goalkeeper Crystal Springer gave up one goal and made 22 saves, but her job was relatively easy because most of the action took place on the other end of the ice. With three former Olympians leading the way, Harvard terrorized Minnesota netminder Erica Killewald and Mankato State goalie Jenny Padget. HARVARD  3 MINNESOTA  1 HARVARD  10 MANKATO STATE  0

Senior co-captain A.J. Mleczko led the Crimson attack, pouring in two goals and Estes said. "They made big plays, creatingturnovers, getting to the quarterback, raisinghavoc, and they put the ball in the offense'shands. I thought we played a complete game today."

Things looked good for the Crimson at the startof the third quarter. Two second-quarter MikeGiampaolo field goals had cut the Brown lead toone point, and the Crimson defense had held Bearquarterback James Perry, No. 1 in total offensefor Division I-AA, to one touchdown in the firsthalf. But things went south for Harvard on thefirst play from scrimmage of the second half.

On first down at the Harvard 26-yard line,junior quarterback Rich Linden dropped back topass. Senior linebacker Ernest Dean broke throughthe Harvard line and laid his shoulder on Linden,who had raised his right arm and was ready topass. The ball popped out of Linden's hand, thereferees ruled the play a fumble rather than anincomplete pass and Brown defensive tackle FryWernick pounced on the ball at the Harvard 16-yardline.

"I'll have to look at the film," Linden said ofthe call. "I was trying to throw the ball and Ithought I got rid of it. But the ball bouncedbehind me and it was a tough call."

That was the first of a series of keythird-quarter plays that turned the game inBrown's favor. Dean's forced fumble was one of ateam-high 10 tackles for him, and it marked aquick departure from Linden's productivefirst-half performance, in which he completed 11of 14 passes for 84 yards.

More importantly, Brown increased its lead toseven points 1:57 after the fumble. After anillegal procedure penalty drove the Bears back tothe Harvard 18-yard line, Perry found sophomorereceiver Steve Campbell for a 15-yard completion.Junior tailback Kevin Coyne walked into the endzone untouched on the next play.

But Harvard was still in the game. Seniorlinebacker Joe Weidle blocked the point-afterattempt by Brown freshman Sean Jensen, and theCrimson trailed by only seven with 12:48 left inthe third quarter. Sophomore Chuck Nwokocha's31-yard kickoff return gave Harvard a first downat its 43-yard line, and the Crimson was back inbusiness.

Linden drove Harvard to the Brown 11-yard linethanks to a 22-yard pass to senior receiver JakeHeller and a 10-yard personal foul against theBears. But a Brown sack pushed Harvard back to the16-yard line. Two plays later, Heller had a stepon his man in the end zone and Linden deliveredthe pass, but the Brown defensive back recoveredto turn away Harvard's best chance of the game atscoring a touchdown.

"I was hoping there would not be a letdownafter that play but it seemed like we lost anychance we had at building momentum," Murphy said."We had a couple of opportunities early on that wejust didn't take advantage of."

That play set up a 32-yard field goal try forGiampaolo, who was perfect in his first fiveattempts of the season. But the junior missed wideleft and the Bears took over on their own 20-yardline. Perry then directed a textbook Brownoffensive drive that put the game out of reach.

In 15 plays that chewed up a valuable 3:41 theCrimson needed to tie the game, Brown put its leadout of reach. Perry threw 10 times on the drive tohis entire array of talented receivers, findingCampbell once for 4 yards, senior tight end ZachBurns twice for 16 yards, and senior receivers AlLairson and Sean Morey twice each for 23 and 15yards, respectively. Coyne capped off the drivewith his second score of the game on a four-yardTD run.