Senior Kathryn Farni had a hand in all four of Harvard’s goals Saturday in the Crimson’s 4-1 victory over McGill. Although the game was only an exhibition contest, Harvard’s ability to beat one of the better teams from Canada reveals promise for a Harvard team that can only fill out three lines on the ice.

Though the warm rain outside was a memory that it’s still fall in Cambridge, fans of Harvard women’s hockey got their first taste of winter Saturday afternoon.

The Crimson took the ice against collegiate competition for the first time this year, defeating McGill, 4-1, in exhibition action at Bright Hockey Center.

Co-captain Kathryn Farni led the team with her four-point effort and six Harvard rookies made their Crimson debut.

“We learned a lot this week,” Harvard coach Katey Stone said. “I was most impressed with the increase in effort over last weekend[’s scrimmage]. Part of the challenge of having a young team is getting them to work hard and to understand that they’re capable of more than they think they are—and that was good.”

Farni, a defenseman, set the tone for the Crimson with a first-period shorthanded goal.

Near the end of the Martlets’ first power play, Farni intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and found open ice, charging forward to slip the puck inside the right post.

“You could kind of tell that she was looking to pass far side,” Farni said of her steal. “I got lucky, I guess. She did what I thought she was going to do, and there wasn’t anybody between me and the goalie, so I had a chance to put it in.”

Harvard doubled its lead with 8:30 to play in the first period. Rookie center Jillian Dempsey won a faceoff, passing the puck off to Farni.

The co-captain connected with junior Kate Buesser, who was waiting between the circles. Buesser launched a high slapshot that found the top left corner of the net.

“Buess is just a great kid—she’ll put the puck away if you get it on her stick, and same with Katharine [Chute],” Farni said. “They’re both big, strong skaters, and if they have the chance in front of the net, they’ll put it away.”

Farni went on to orchestrate Harvard’s third goal as well, which lit the lamp at 6:21 in the second. The blueliner sent a shot in from the outside, and Buesser was waiting in front of the net to slam the rebound past McGill netminder Taylor Salisbury.

“[Farni’s] playing with confidence, and she’s picking her spots of when to jump into the offense,” Stone said. “But one of the big things is that she got her shots through today, and that was the key to three assists also.”

In a 3-0 hole, the Martlets were not discouraged, and with under seven minutes to go in the second frame, McGill found an opportunity in transition.

Martlet captain Vanessa Davidson got the puck on her stick at the top of the Crimson zone, and her wide-open slapshot sizzled over goalie Christina Kessler’s shoulder.

Rebecca Martindale was credited with the assist on the score, which brought McGill within two.