Consolation was not the order of the day for the Big Green as the horn blast that ended the women's soccer team's 2-1 overtime loss to the University of Connecticut echoed over Chase Field, Saturday.
Maybe a year or two ago, Coach Steve Swanson would have been quick with praise for what was otherwise an outstanding performance against the Northeast Region's second-ranked team.
These days, though, the women's soccer program has moved beyond picking up style points and putting up a good fight against the top teams.
"We've gotten to the point where there are no more moral losses," Swanson said. "We don't take solace in losing."
Maybe that is what distinguishes Dartmouth, a team that is trying to establish itself as one of the top soccer schools in New England, from a team that has strung together a few successful seasons.
Indeed, Dartmouth has shown all the signs of a quality program that is rapidly reaching maturity.
For starters, the graduation of talent-laden classes has done little to slow Dartmouth's progression. Last year, after losing seven seniors and a pair of All-New England standouts, Dartmouth broke a program record for wins in a season with a 10-5 overall mark and also made its first-ever appearance in the ECAC playoffs.
If early returns are any indication, it looks like the Big Green could work similar magic in '93. Dartmouth has won two of its first three games and pushed its ranking in the Northeast Region as high as eighth.
But what makes the Big Green's success most likely to endure is a recruiting class that has gotten billing as the best new group ever to matriculate. The hype is apparently well-deserved. The '97's have already had an impact.
Take, for instance, the team's 3-1 thumping of the University of New Hampshire on Tuesday.
Not only did many freshmen see time, but Melissa McBean '97 assisted the game's first goal and scored the second.
Make no mistake, though, the strength of this team is in its 14 returning letter winners.
Anchoring the mid-field with a wealth of talent will be an All-New England selection from last year in Mya Mangawang '95, along with Annalisa Gorman '94, Maggie Essman '94, Molly Stryker '95 and Kate Andrews '96.
Offensively, Dartmouth's biggest threat will come from scoring machine Brittany Boulanger '95, who lit up opposing defenders for a team-high of 12 goals in '92, and Stacy Smith '94, who will return to action after sitting out all of last year with ankle problems.
The defense, the backbone of the team's success over the past three years, will be relatively inexperienced heading into this year's season. Only Jessica Andre '94 and second-team All-Ivy pick Megan Owens '96 return from last year.
"We have a young defense," Swanson admitted.
Behind that defense, however, is Michelle Conroy '95, the Ivy League's best goaltender and one of the top 10 keepers in the nation. Conroy collected nine shutouts in 15 games last year, and could easily repeat that kind of performance this year.
She'll need to. After all, there are no more "good losses."
