The Dartmouth women are exactly where they want to be: tied for first place in the Ivy League and gearing up for a home weekend against the only other undefeated team. This weekend at Leede Arena, the Big Green women will face Princeton and Pennsylvania in what might prove to be the biggest games of the season.
Neither Dartmouth nor Penn has lost an Ivy League game this season, and Princeton is in second place, having lost only to Penn. If Dartmouth wins both contests, the Big Green will find itself atop the Ivy League for the first time in four years.
"This weekend is the big battle," said head coach Chris Wielgus on Wednesday afternoon. "It's huge for us. Still, the beauty of the Ivy League is that every weekend is a gauntlet. Whoever has the best record at the end of the season wins -- there are no gimmicks, no easy way out."
So far, Wielgus' words have rung true, as all three Ivy League games have been close contests, back-and-forth battles, and at times all-out wars. On Jan. 10 in Cambridge, Dartmouth beat perennial favorite Harvard in overtime. Point guard Angie Soriaga '06 hit a game tying three-pointer at the end of regulation to force an extra period, and the Big Green never looked back, winning by a score of 93-88.
Last weekend, the women hit the road again and dispatched Columbia and Cornell, despite trailing late in the game both nights. Dartmouth's powerhouse offense -- four players each night in double figures -- and poise under pressure have been keys to the team's current 3-0 mark.
"We've proven we can score a lot of points," said co-captain Jamie Librizzi '04, "but we are also giving up a lot of points. Both Princeton and Penn are good teams who have gotten a great start in Ivy League play and stepping up our defense is going to be key both nights."
In order to win this weekend, the Big Green will have to stop two completely different teams. Princeton is a finesse team that runs a screen-based offense, while Penn is physical and scrappy, and boasts one of the best scorers in the Ivy League in point guard Jewel Clark.
According to Wielgus, Dartmouth will have to play solid defense and reduce its turnovers, while still getting to the rim. Drawing fouls has been crucial to the Big Green's attack, as they are shooting over 80 percent from the line.
"Besides the fact that these are two good teams, it's important to hold at home," said Librizzi. "Two wins this weekend will give us sole possession of first place, which would definitely be exciting."
Furthermore, Shannon O'Donnell '06 said, "Every weekend from here on out is huge for us. Right now we're tied for first in the league, and to remain there we need to treat every game like it's a playoff game. We're playing for March so every game is important."
The Big Green will face Princeton on Friday and Penn on Saturday, both games tipping-off at 7 p.m. in Leede Arena.
