The Big Green men's soccer team defeated the University of Vermont yesterday at Chase Field in Dartmouth's exciting home opener, 1-0.
The game's only goal belonged to Co-Captain Blaine LeGere '95 when at the 51-minute mark of the game, LeGere intercepted a Vermont pass, sidestepped a slipping defender and fired a 25-yard, right-footed shot that grazed Catamount defender Brad Bierman's foot en route to the lower left corner of the net.
"I was looking for a good strike on the ball," he said. "I hit it cleanly, and it ended up in the net."
Five minutes later, Catamount forward Paul DeCastro came in alone on Big Green goalie Brian Wiese '95. Twelve yards from the goal, DeCastro chipped the ball over Wiese's outstretched hand.
Co-Captain Ian Saward '95 then came out of nowhere to deny DeCastro's chip, which turned out to be Vermont's best scoring chance. Sliding into his own goal, Saward bicycled the ball over his right shoulder and out of danger.
[Wiese] "came out, and I went to cover the goal. Only afterward did I realize how close it was to going in the net," Saward said.
Another dangerous Catamount scoring thrust happened 59 minutes into the game from a failed Dartmouth clear. Bierman settled the ball and struck a 20-yard shot that ricocheted off the left post.
Dartmouth was similarly unlucky four minutes later, as forward Chris Mitchell '95 controlled a Vermont clearing attempt, and hit a right-footed dipping shot that beat goalie Robert Radakovic, but hit the lower right post.
At 66 minutes down, DeCastro was again turned away as Wiese dove high to his left and gloved the shot.
"I owe it all to the new glove-glue that Coach gave me before the game," Wiese said.
The two teams played to a relatively uneventful first half with Dartmouth controlling the tempo and successfully stretching out the UVM defense as the half progressed.
"We played long balls early, which loosened [Vermont's defense] up a bit. At the end of the first half, we were able to successfully play short passes, and we had some good opportunities," said assistant coach John O'Connor.
Dartmouth head coach Bobby Clark, a former Scottish national team goalie, was quick to commend both Radakovic and Wiese.
"I thought both of the goalies played well," he said. "This was a game that could have gone either way."
With the win, Dartmouth, ranked first in New England and 12th in the nation, improves to 2-0 on the year.
Dartmouth's next home game will be Oct. 9 against Brown on Chase Field.
