Harvard (12-5-4, 9-5-2 ECAC Hockey), known for dominating the shot count, ended the game with only 28. The Crimson capitalized on its fewer opportunities, however, as the team lit up the scoreboard four times to finish the game with a win.
While Dartmouth delivered shots intermittently, Harvard exerted itself consistently throughout the match-up, co-captain Sarah Parsons '10 said.
"We had spurts of playing well and working hard but we were definitely not consistent and had some breakdowns," she said. "I think we were complacent at times and it really hurt us."
Head coach Mark Hudak cited a combination of mental, physical and emotional errors as reasons for the team's lackluster performance.
"I don't think we played a very inspiring game," he said.
As in several recent matches, Dartmouth (8-12-2, 5-10-1 ECAC Hockey) found life in the second frame.
During a breakaway 12 minutes into the middle period, Sally Komarek '13 tied up the game at 1-1. Lisa Berreman '13 sent the puck down the length of the ice, and Komarek chipped it past Bellamy's right pad for her third goal of the season.
The Big Green gained significant momentum off the goal, producing quality scoring opportunities with a heightened sense of energy and pace.
Although the Big Green made a concerted effort in the middle frame, Hudak said that the team did not exert itself for the whole sixty minutes.
"We had times where we would play very well," he said. "We just could not sustain the effort."
The team staved off a Harvard comeback until the final three minutes of the second period, when the Big Green's thrust degenerated once again.
Crimson junior Liza Ryabkina fed the puck to junior Kate Buesser, who redirected the pass into the Dartmouth goal to put Harvard back on top, 2-1, at 16:32. The Big Green allowed Buesser to skate all around the net, scouting for a perfect shot.
To maintain the lead in the final frame, the Crimson delivered two more unanswered goals in the final ten minutes.
With nine minutes remaining in the match, Buesser found the back of the net again, as she fired a corner shot over the right glove of Mariel Lacina '10 to extend the Crimson's advantage to two.
While neither team managed to score in the opening frame, Dartmouth played with increased energy in the last minutes of the period rattling off shot after shot at the Harvard net. The Big Green edged off the Crimson in the period's shot count, 12-10.
As far as success in extra-man situations, Harvard held the Big Green scoreless on all five power-play opportunities.
Lacina made 24 saves to bring her save percentage on the season to .895, while Bellamy came away with her third win this season.
Bellamy's 37 saves marked a career high.
Next up for the Big Green is a home game against Yale University this Friday at 7 p.m. followed by a 4 p.m. match-up against Brown University in Thompson Arena on Saturday.
