The door frames in the athletic offices of Alumni Gym all carry white block writing that announce the residents of each office. As you first walk in "Men's Tennis" is on your right. Next on the right-hand side comes "Sailing," followed by "Business Office."
They all carry the same two-inch printing etched in the wooden frame ' all except the field hockey office. There, you'll find a makeshift cardboard sign tacked to the side of the door with "Women's Field Hockey" scrawled in green magic marker.
It's somehow too symbolic of the state of the women's field hockey team and their new coach, Julie Dayton, who was hired June 1 to replace the embattled Mary Twyman, but only arrived in Hanover four weeks ago.
Sounds like Dayton has more on her mind than decorating her office. While the drapes haven't changed, the attitudes have.
"Communication between the team and the coach is so much better," Cynthia Roberts '96 said. "We understand where her decisions are coming from. Since the pre-season, we've been more motivated to play."
The difference has manifested itself on the field and in the locker room. Dayton has been a breath of fresh air in a program that saw a tumultuous 1992 season and off-season amid charges that Twyman blackmailed players and forced them to lie about her insertion of a non-matriculated freshman into a game situation.
Over the off-season, Twyman left her position and a host of upperclassmen quit the team, which returns only four seniors and two juniors from last year.
With the team as anxious to bury the past as it is to bury the ball in opposing goals, Dayton couldn't be more welcome.
"I'm on a mission to turn the program around," Dayton said. "I want to establish Dartmouth field hockey as one of the best programs around. I do feel a commitment from the administration to accomplish that, but there's still a lot of hard work. They've given us the support, I have to provide the elbow grease."
That things are so upbeat is truly a testament to the new confidence Dayton has installed. The team has played well in the early going, but has nothing but a string of heart-breaking losses to show for it.
After winning the season opener in a double overtime thriller with the University of Rhode Island, 2-1, the team has lost four straight games by one goal.
The slide started with the University of Connecticut, which handed the Big Green a 2-1 loss. Then, at Ohio State, the Buckeyes scored that game's only goal with 3:48 in the game.
Dartmouth then traveled to Maine, where the Bears scored the winning goal with six seconds remaining in double overtime for a 2-1 win. Sunday, the University of Pennsylvania clipped the Big Green, 1-0.
At this point, the team knows it's only a matter of time before it turns a corner ' it just can't find the corner.
"I think it's very natural to be a little frustrated," Dayton said. "But the players have worked hard and they can feel good about that."
And while the team is young, it looks to build behind a strong sophomore class ' the team's top three scorers are all sophomores as is goalie Lauren Demski '96, who allowed just seven goals in five games and was seventh in the nation last year with a .917 save percentage.
Leading that offense is Sarah Devens '96, a second team All-Ivy selection last year, who leads the team in scoring this year.
Joining Devens on the attack is senior Jen Hanley and fellow sophomores Amy Coughlin, and Kathleen Hickey.
The defense is anchored by senior co-captains Ashley Bowen and Beth Breckenridge, and Cynthia Roberts '96.
As the team looks to crawl out of its slump, there is at least light at the end of the tunnel.
After that, the door frame thing should fall in line.
