Nora Tallus scored on a slap shot 4:19 into the second overtime to lead Minnesota Duluth to its third straight Women's Frozen Four championship with a 4-3 victory over Harvard March 23 in Duluth, Minnesota.

Tallus took a pass from Erika Holst in the corner, edged toward the slot, wound up and sent the puck underneath Crimson goalie Jessica Ruddock's glove for her eighth goal of the season.

The Bulldogs (31-3-2), who defeated St. Lawrence in Minneapolis for the NCAA's inaugural title and beat Brown in last year's championship, started their program in the 1999-00 season. Coach Shannon Miller has a record of 108-19-13 in four years.

Patricia Sautter made 41 saves and Hanne Sikio scored twice for the Bulldogs, who treated their nearly sold-out crowd of 5,161 at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center to a thrilling finish.

At last year's tournament in Durham, New Hampshire, 4,885 fans attended the Women's Frozen Four. The total this year was a record 9,962.

"We're absolutely astonished, amazed and thrilled to death to be able to win a national championship right here at home in Duluth in front of 5,000 people," said Miller. "What do you say about that? To be able to play and to win in front of a crowd like that it just absolutely amazing. My hat goes off to Harvard. They are a very classy and very talented hockey team. Either team could have walked away the winner."

Both teams complimented each other in the postgame press conferences. Media discussions centered on the intensity and high skill of the game. Some said it was possibly the greatest women's ice hockey game ever played.

"This was certainly one of the greatest sporting events I have ever been a part of," said Harvard coach Katey Stone. "The crowd was just tremendous and so fair in many ways. They were supportive of all of our great plays as well as all of Duluth's. I think I sit here very sad but also very proud. Obviously we did everything we could have to win this game only to come up short and they beat us with an absolute perfect shot. I just feel privileged to have been here today as I am sure everyone that had the absolute privilege to be a part of tonight's event."

Each team had a number of prime scoring chances in the first overtime. Both Sautter and Ruddock were up to the task. Ruddock made 37 saves for the Crimson (30-3-1).

The Bulldogs missed a chance late in regulation when Harvard's star defenseman, Angela Ruggiero, was whistled for interference -- her fourth penalty of the game -- with 4:55 left. Ruggiero then complained about the call and received a 10-minute misconduct penalty.

But five seconds later, Minnesota Duluth's Julianne Vasichek wiped out the advantage when she pulled down the Crimson's Julie Chu and was called for holding.

The Bulldogs, boosted by their boisterous crowd, kept Harvard on its heels most of the first period and took a 2-0 lead.

Carolina Ouellette redirected Jenny Potter's shot into the net at 5:17 to make it 1-0. Sikio scored on a breakaway seven minutes later.

But the Crimson stormed back, tying the score just 44 seconds into the next period.

Jennifer Botterill -- who won her second Patty Kazmaier Award as women's ice hockey's best player -- scored on a breakaway, and Lauren McAuliffe notched the tying goal during a scramble in front of the net.

The goals were scored just 23 seconds apart.

Harvard took a 3-2 lead with 5:12 left in the second when Nicole Corriero stopped a pass from Jamie Hagerman with her skate and, in one motion, sent a slap shot past Sautter.

Sikio tied it up again three minutes later, setting the stage for double-overtime intensity.

Dartmouth and Minnesota played in the third-place game after losing in the semifinals. Dartmouth beat the Golden Gophers 4-2.

The Big Green (28-8) lost to Minnesota Duluth, 5-2, in the semifinals. Minnesota (27-8-1), which tied Niagara in last season's third-place game, lost to Harvard, 6-1, in the semifinals.

SEMIFINALS

Harvard 6, Minnesota 1

First period: H -- Julie Chu (Jennifer Botterill), 18:49; H -- Lauren McAuliffe (unassisted), 19:12.

Penalties: M -- Kelsey Bills (hooking), 1:07; H -- Too many players (served by Katherine Sweet), 1:54; H -- Carrie Schroyer (high-sticking), 5:47; H -- Jamie Hagerman (slashing), 14:24.

Second period: H -- Chu (Jamie Hagerman, Ashley Banfield), 13:25; H -- Angela Ruggiero (Chu), 19:16.

Penalties: None.

Third period: M -- Natalie Darwitz (Ronda Curtin, Kelly Stephens), 11:45; H -- Ruggiero (Pamela Van Reesema), 16:42 (en); H -- Tracy Catlin (Chu, Botterill), 18:08.

Penalties: M -- Krissy Wendell (obstruction-interference), 15:42; H -- Botterill (high-sticking), 15:42; M -- Winny Brodt (slashing the goaltender), 16:25; H -- Banfield (roughing), 16:25.

Saves: Jody Horak (Minnesota), 26; Jessica Ruddock (Harvard), 17.

Minn.-Duluth 5, Dartmouth 2

First period: MD -- Larissa Luther (Caroline Ouellette, Maria Rooth), 3:51 (pp).

Penalties: MD -- Luther (obstruction-interference), 1:38; D -- Cherie Piper (slashing), 2:04; MD -- Joanne Eustace (body checking), 6:53; D -- Piper (cross-checking), 13:51; MD -- Caroline Ouellette (slashing), 13:51; D -- Gillian Apps (body checking), 15:58.

Second period: D -- Krista Dornfried (Sarah Clark), 5:24; MD -- Luther (Jenny Potter, Hanne Sikio), 7:30; MD -- Erika Holst (Ouellette, Rooth), 9:38; MD -- Ouellette (unassisted), 15:21 (sh); D -- Alana BreMiller (unassisted), 16:20.

Penalties: MD -- Hanne Sikio (body checking), 1:10; MD -- Nora Tallus (high-sticking), 14:15; D -- Louise Pietrangelo (hooking), 18:04; D -- Correne Bredin (cross-checking), 18:45.

Third period: MD -- Sikio (Krista McArthur, Potter), 5:10 (pp).

Penalties: D -- Apps (body checking), 4:40; D -- Cheryl Muranko (tripping), 4:40; MD -- Sikio (interference), 6:24; Ouellette (body checking), 13:23.

Saves: Amy Ferguson (Dartmouth), 46; Patricia Sautter (Minn.-Duluth), 28.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Minn.-Duluth 4, Harvard 3

Harvard 0 3 0 0 0 -- 3

Minn.-Duluth 2 1 0 0 1 -- 4

First period: H -- Caroline Ouellette (Jenny Potter), 5:17; MD -- Hanne Sikio (unassisted), 12:30.

Penalties: MD -- Julianne Vasichek (body checking), 2:08; H -- Angela Ruggiero (obstruction-interference), 3:11.

Second period: H -- Jennifer Botterill (unassisted), 0:21; H -- Lauren McAuliffe (Nicole Corriero, Jamie Hagerman), 0:44; H -- Corriero (Hagerman, Ashley Banfield), 14:46; MD -- Sikio (Joanne Eustace), 17:34.

Penalties: H -- Ruggiero (roughing), 1:47; MD -- Nora Tallus (roughing), 1:47; H -- Lauren McAuliffe (delay of game), 2:33; MD -- Tallus (obstruction-interference), 12:45; H -- Jamie Hagerman (tripping), 16:17; MD -- Tallus (roughing), 17:03; H -- Julie Chu (roughing), 18:07; MD -- Tricia Guest (roughing), 18:07.

Third period: No scoring.

Penalties: MD -- Larissa Luther (cross-checking), 1:53; H -- Ruggiero (holding), 4:54; MD -- Tallus (boarding), 5:55; H -- Ruggiero (interference), 15:05; H -- Ruggiero (misconduct), 15:05; MD -- Vasichek (holding), 15:17.

First overtime: No Scoring.

Penalties: None.

Second overtime: MD -- Nora Tallus (Erika Holst, Eustace), 4:19.

Penalties: None.

Saves: Jessica Ruddock (Harvard), 37; Patricia Sautter (Minnesota Duluth), 41. Officials: Brad Shepherd, Danyel Howard, Pat Silva. A -- 5,167.