BOSTON UNIVERSITY DEFEATED BY HARVARD, 3-1

Sophomore forward Rebecca Russo scored a goal for the Terriers

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The No. 9 Boston University women's ice hockey team suffered a 3-1 setback at No. 5/6 Harvard on Friday night at Bright-Landry Hockey Center.

It is the first time BU (10-3-1, 6-0-0 WHEA) has lost back-to-back games since Feb. 5-12, 2013; Harvard (7-1-1, 7-1-1 ECAC) also won the second game of that stretch which occurred across both contests in last year's Beanpot.

Sophomore Rebecca Russo's third-period marker was the Terriers' lone goal of the game. Senior goaltender Kerrin Sperry made 29 saves in the loss.

The Crimson claimed a 1-0 lead 3:19 into the proceedings after a fortunate bounce. Jessica Harvey's shot went high off the glass, but the rebound caromed in front of the net, where Dylanne Crugnale collected the puck and found Gina McDonald on the right post. McDonald finished the play for her first goal of the season.

Russo had the Terriers' best chance of the period at the end of a Harvard power play with less than 30 seconds before the intermission. She blocked a shot at the top of her defensive zone and carried the puck alone on Emerance Maschmeyer (34 saves), who ultimately stopped the attempt and kept the Crimson in front, 1-0, entering the second stanza.

Russo's classmate, Jordan Juron, had a good look below the circles with about 13:00 left in the middle frame but her shot was stopped. The play began thanks to hard work in the corners from sophomore Dakota Woodworth, who eventually found Juron in a grade-A position.

Harvard extended its lead at the 18:00 mark of the period when Samantha Reber knocked home a rebound after Sperry made a nice right-pad save on a Hillary Crowe shot. BU responded well after that goal and junior Kayla Tutino had two chances to cut the lead back to one but was stoned each time.

The Terriers cut the lead to 3-1 at the 15:57 mark of the third period after an offensive-zone faceoff. Juron won the puck back to senior Kaleigh Fratkin, whose shot was blocked in front as Juron fought a Crimson defender for space. The puck landed on Woodworth's stick, and she backhanded a shot that Maschmeyer saved. The rebound came right out to Russo in front, however, and she deposited the puck into the open net for her sixth goal of the season.

BU earned a power-play opportunity with 3:09 remaining in regulation when Marissa Gedman went off for interference. Head coach Brian Durocher elected to pull Sperry in favor of an extra attacker and the plan nearly worked as the Terriers had several chances during the power play and the remaining minute of the game. Junior Caroline Campbell had the closest call when her shot from the left point dinged off of the crossbar.

Following a day off, BU will return to action on Sunday afternoon at New Hampshire. Puck drop in Durham is slated for 2 p.m.