DURHAM, N.H.--Driving through southeastern New Hampshire, passers-by will notice a highway sign that reads "Welcome to Durham, home of the 1998 women's ice hockey national champions."

But 1998 will soon be part of history, and Harvard might be the women's hockey team of the future. The No. 3 Crimson (7-1-0, 5-1-0 ECAC) upset No. 1 New Hampshire (6-1-3, 5-1-2) yesterday, 3-2, and made a strong bid to steal the top ranking from UNH, which has been No. 1 since the season began Oct. 20. HARVARD  3 NEW HAMPSHIRE  2 HARVARD  15 COLBY  0

UNH entered yesterday's game at the Whittemore Center unbeaten this season and riding a 19-game winning streak at home against ECAC rivals. The contest against Harvard was supposed to be another UNH victory on its way to a second straight national championship.

The Crimson, however, had a different plan.

Harvard dominated the final seven minutes of the third period to overcome a 2-1 deficit and beat the Wildcats for the first time in school history.

Harvard took the lead for good when freshman sensation Jen Botterill knocked in a rebound from the post off co-captain A.J. Mleczko's shot with 5:41 left in regulation, just 52 seconds after sophomore forward Tammy Shewchuk had tied the score with an unassisted goal.

Both the Crimson and the Wildcats have blown through their schedules this season, often embarrassing their opponents by ridiculous margins. On Saturday, UNH pasted No. 5 Northeastern (7-2-2, 3-1-2) 5-2, while Harvard blanked last-place Colby, 15-0.

Yesterday's contest in Durham, however, was a competitive rematch of last season's ECAC quarterfinal, when UNH needed overtime to fend off Harvard, 2-1. Yesterday's game was an evenly matched, back-and-forth affair, with Harvard getting the slight advantage in shots on goal, 27-26. The Crimson has outshot all eight of its opponents this season.

"I haven't seen many women's hockey games that have been played at a level like today's game," UNH coach Karen Kay said. "It was the two best teams going at it and it was a great game. But they [Harvard] worked and never gave up, so they deserved to win."

The Crimson struggled in the first period and was unable to capitalize on four power play opportunities. Harvard controlled the puck with the man advantage but did not have enough time to set up quality shots against UNH's efficient defensive zone coverage.

The Wildcats struck first, 6:27 into the game, when junior forward Carisa Zaban's shot trickled past Crimson goaltender Crystal Springer after Springer had stopped the puck initially. That surprising turn of events gave UNH the upper hand for the rest of the period and the Wildcats headed into the first intermission with momentum and the lead.

"I blew it on that play," said Springer, who came through with 24 saves after the early mistake. "I never really got a good look at the puck and it went by me."

But a rejuvenated Harvard squad came out of thelocker room after the intermission. The Crimsonrecorded its first goal 3:32 into the secondperiod when Mleczko found Botterill in the leftcorner. The former Olympian rifled the disc to herCanadian National Team counterpart, Shewchuk, whoscored from point-blank range to cap off thewell-executed play.

"I was coming down the wing and I saw Tammy'sstick in front of the goal," Botterill said. "Sheis such a good finisher that all I had to do wasget her the puck and she did the rest."

Deadlocked at 1-1, the intensity from bothsides picked up for the rest of the period. Atenacious Crimson defense held the Wildcats toseven shots on goal, but Harvard could reel offjust nine shots in the period.

It was Springer who rose to the occasionagainst the UNH offense, which leads the ECAC inscoring at 6.5 goals per game. While strongCrimson defensive zone coverage limited UNH'sattack to 26 shots, Springer made several clutchplays, denying shots from point-blank range by aWildcats offense that features eight players whohave scored more than 10 points through 10 games.

"I needed to shake off the mistake I made onthat first goal and play through adversity,"Springer said. "I had a great defense in front ofme and we made the plays we needed to win thegame."