It was a typical week for sophomore center Jen Botterill and the Harvard women's hockey team.
After falling to then-No. 7 Dartmouth in its home opener two weeks ago, the Crimson bounced back from its first loss of the season with a pair of convincing victories on the road at New Hampshire and Maine last weekend.
The 4-2 win at then-No. 1 UNH returned the Crimson to No. 1 in the national rankings, while the Wildcats dropped to No. 2.
Botterill, who centers the top forward line, anchored the offensive attack. Late in the first period at UNH on Saturday, Botterill grabbed a rebound inside the right circle and sent the puck top-shelf to give Harvard a 3-1 lead at the first intermission.
That turned out to be the game-winner, but Botterill added an insurance goal in the second period, expertly finishing off a two-on-one breakaway with help from junior winger Tammy Shewchuk.
On the road against a young Maine team on Sunday, last season's ECAC Rookie of the Year exploded for a hat trick and an assist as the Crimson blanked the Black Bears, 6-0.
With 19 points, Botterill is second in the conference in scoring behind junior linemate Tammy Shewchuk. More importantly, she has made a smooth transition from wing to center, where she has replaced A.J. Mleczko '99, who won the Kazmaier Award last season as the national player of the year.
Although Botterill brings her own style to the ice, she has provided everything Mleczko gave to the Crimson last season, when she led Harvard to its first-ever national championship. The sophomore can handle the puck, play at the blueline in an emergency and set up her teammates or score herself.
"Jen Botterill is the best player in women's college hockey," Harvard Coach Katey Stone said after the win at UNH. "And I would be saying that even if she wasn't wearing a Harvard jersey. She has the complete package."
Botterill had that package last season, and the year before as a member of the 1998 Canadian Olympic Team. And with her continued excellence, she looks to lead the Crimson to another successful season.
--ZEVI M. GUTFREUND
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