The national poll for women's hockey was released on Monday night, and it looked tighter than the BCS rankings in January. Fortunately for the Big Green, Dartmouth edged out rivals Harvard and Minnesota by a combined 10 votes.
The three top teams have similar records, but Dartmouth (14-1-2) has less losses than Minnesota (17-2-1) and beat Harvard (13-1-1) head-to-head earlier this month.
The Big Green took seven out of the 15 first-place votes and collected a total of 138 votes to Harvard's 134 and Minnesota's 132. Dartmouth is ranked number one for the first time since the end of the 2000-01 season, when they held a 26-3-1 record.
For the past two months, the Big Green has put pressure on the previously top-ranked Gophers. In that span, Dartmouth amassed an 8-1-2 record, with four of those wins coming against ranked opponents. Undefeated in its last nine games, Dartmouth put in a serious bid for number one when it beat Harvard by a 2-1 score two weekends ago. Had the Big Green not tied unranked Brown the night before, the top recognition would have come a fortnight ago.
As it turned out, Dartmouth got help from Minnesota this past weekend as the Gophers lost on Sunday in overtime to unranked Minnesota State. With a pair of impressive wins over Colgate and Cornell, the Big Green got the nod as the new top team in the nation.
"The new rankings have just come out and we are ranked number one in the polls," said head coach Mark Hudak.
"But, as you know, that is only the polls and peoples opinion. We still have a ways to go before the end of the year and some very tough competition ahead of us."
The Big Green will defend its title on the road this weekend against Union, who dwells in the cellar of the ECAC with a meager 3-18-1 record. However, Dartmouth will play without four of its five top scorers in the weekend series. Sophomores Gillian Apps and Cherie Piper have commitments to the Canadian national team, while line-mates Katie Weatherston '06 and Meagan Walton '05 are playing for team USA in a tournament in Europe.
"We know that we have players coming and leaving," said Weatherston.
"But everyone knows that they need to step it up, especially the second and third lines."
When those players return in February, Dartmouth will get its first real test as the top team in the nation. On Feb. 8 and 9, the team will take on formerly top-ranked Minnesota for a two-game series on the road.
"The games we play against Minnesota in two weeks are going to be huge," said co-captain Lydia Wheatley '03.
"The stakes are obviously high anytime two of the top teams in the country play each other. We are both hoping to secure the number one spot in the rankings after that weekend, so there will be two great games of hockey played for the fans in Minnesota."
However, the Minnesota team that will face the Big Green will not be the same formidable team that was ranked number one for most of the season. Just last week, the Gophers lost two of the three U.S. Olympians on the team. Captain Natalie Darwitz tore a ligament in her elbow. She was the leading scorer in the nation prior to the injury. Freshman Lindsay Wall was inactivated due to academic ineligibility. Both players will miss the rest of the season.
"To be completely honest, I am extremely sorry for both of those players, their team and our sport," said Hudak.
"It hurts when you lose two good people like Natalie and Lindsay. However, Minnesota is a top team even without those players."
After the clash against Minnesota, Dartmouth will conclude the regular season with eight straight conference matches before heading to the postseason. On the line will be a third ECAC title in four years and the school's first NCAA Championship.
"We still need to get better at all the little things," Hudak emphasized.
"We have to focus on what we can control. If we do that and do it well, we've got a great shot at getting back to the Frozen Four."
Given the recent developments, the Big Green will have its best chance since the 2000-01 season to capture that coveted national title.
