Women Cagers Win First of Year

They finally did it.

Yesterday the women's basketball team broke the pattern of a winless season by downing Hofstra, 74-69, at the Providence Tournament.

"We were really excited, with champagne in the locker room and everything," said Captain Nancy Boutiher, who grabbed all-tourney honors.

Slow Start

The Crimson didn't start off the weekend so auspiciously, falling in a rout on Saturday to Providence, 112-48. Providence, which went on to trounce nationally-ranked Holy Cross and win the tournament, came on strong with a full court press from the opening tip-off. Revealing no weakness and capitalizing on a height and quickness advantage, the Friars proved too tough for the inexperienced Harvard women.

But the Crimson still played strong basket ball, passing and dribbling well despite the press, and keeping its energy up enough to chase down some of the Providence fast breaks.

And the Harvard performance yesterday against very eventually-matched Hofstra made any observer think the Crimson had erased Holy Cross from its memory.

Close Game

Hofstra and Harvard went neck-and-neck through both halves, with neither team holding a four point advantage for longer than a minute..

"We were really events matched," said Boutiher. We were even jocking before the game that they looked like us".

The Difference

But in the end the Dutchmen didn't look like Harvard, at least in terms of smoothness, confidence and consistency. For the first time, four of the Crimson scored in the double figures. Boutiher, Captain Val Jordan, Erin Sugrue and Wendy Joseph Freshman Gia Barressi showed her scrappiness, as well, helping the Crimson overcome the complacency that has plagued its play all season.

THE NOTEBOOK: This makes the Harvard record 1-7...,The Crimson travels to Springfield College for its next match on Wednesday.