The University of New Hampshire women's hockey team is considered the best in the country.

And now the Harvard Crimson knows it.

Last night at Bright Center, Harvard learned it the hard way, falling to the Wildcats, 9-1.

But the Crimson was still clueless in the first period. At the end of the period, the scoreboard read, "Harvard 1, UNH 1."

Harvard (6-2 overall, 2-0 Ivy) had been told just how good the Wildcats were. But UNH (6-1) would have to earn the victory the hard way--the Crimson had come to play.

The Harvard icewomen came out firing. Only three-and-a-half minutes into the opening period, the Crimson had found the back of the net against the nation's best team.

Ivy League Player of the Week forward Sandra Whyte fired a slapshot from just inside the blueline past New Hampshire goalie Erin Whitten. Whyte converted a pass from classmate Ginny Simonds to put the Crimson ahead, 1-0.

"After scoring the first goal," said UNH Coach Russ McCurdy, "Harvard really believed in themselves. They played a very strong first period."

Three 'D'

Harvard led for the majority of the period thanks to strong defense led by junior netminder Gillian D'Souza, who came up with a dozen saves in the period, many of them from point-blank range. But Harvard's defense would not be able to hold up all night, especially considering the fact that the squad was forced to play with only three defenders.

Sophomore Elizabeth Hansen, usually a defender, moved up to replace Lauren Messmore at center of the second line. Messmore missed last night's because she was ill. Without Hansen, Co-Captain Char Joslin, junior Sue Cullinane and sophomore Bev Stickles were left to weather the persistant attack of the Wildcats.

It's difficult to contain the number-one team in the country on a normal evening, much less with a depleted defensive corps.

The defensive trio played agressively all night. The Wildcats eventually wore them down, tallying three times in the second period and adding five more in the final period.

"There were just not enough bodies," Harvard Coach John Dooley said. "The team has nothing to be ashamed of."

The Wildcats finally got on the board with a short-handed goal at the 12:47 mark of the first period. With UNH forward Shawna Davidson in the box for a tripping penalty, freshman Karyn Bye slipped by Stickles on a breakaway and beat D'Souza with a crisp wrist shot.