When Harvard junior co-captain Jennifer Botterill and senior winger Tammy Shewchuk strode into Minnesota's Mariucci Arena for the NCAA Frozen Four only two weeks ago, they came up short of a national title. But last night at the same venue, they rose to the top of the world.

In the gold medal game of the Women's Hockey World Championships between the United States and Canadian National Teams last night, Shewchuk scored a second-period goal to give the Canadians the lead for good, and Botterill netted the eventual game-winner with 3:15 left to give Canada a commanding two-goal lead.

Former Harvard defenseman and 1999 Patty Kazmaier winner A.J. Mleczko `97-`99 scored for the U.S. with 1:19 left to make the game interesting in the closing moments, but Canada held on for the 3-2 win.

"One of the great things about this rivalry is our close games, and tonight was no exception," Mleczko said.

Canada has now won all seven Women's Hockey World Championships. The U.S. won the sport's first Olympic Gold in 1998.

Botterill-who scored eight times in five games to lead all scorers in the tournament-was named the Most Outstanding Forward and the Most Valuable Player of the Championship.

"I believe there are things coaches can't teach," said Canadian Coach Daniele Sauvageau. "By putting our players in different situations, in college, in club hockey, it only makes them better. They play for different coaches. Jennifer Botterill has only become a better player in college."

The U.S. team had trained together in Lake Placid through the course of the past season while the Canadian players stayed with their respective club and college teams, but no advantage from the centralized training showed up on the final scoreboard.