The biggest difference between this year's men's lacrosse team and those from the last few years can be summed up in one word.
Confidence.
That was perfectly illustrated on Saturday afternoon as the Big Green won their sixth straight game, edging Cornell 12-11 in overtime.
Dartmouth held an 11-7 lead with seven minutes left in regulation, only to have Cornell explode for four goals to force the extra period.
It was a scenario all too familiar for the players who weathered last year's 3-9 season, which featured several fourth quarter collapses. But things have been different this year.
As Cornell was making its comeback, "I never thought we were going to lose the game, because we knew we were the better team," Brian White '95 said. "Last year, [as opponents were coming from behind to win games] you could see long faces on the sidelines and coach shaking his head. That's not happening this year."
And it didn't happen on Saturday. Brian Merritt '97 provided the heroics, scoring his third goal of the day in overtime to give Dartmouth the victory.
The win marked Dartmouth's first over Cornell since 1979, and its first win in Ithaca since 1954. The victory also raised the Big Green's record to 7-1 overall, which equals their best start since 1982, and keeps them undefeated in the Ivies with a 2-0 record.
"We're flying high right now," Dave Fivek '94 said. "We've never felt so good as a program."
It's the entire program that has been contributing to the fantastic start. The Big Green does not rely