The women's lacrosse team suffered an 11-4 loss to Ivy League rival Harvard in the last game of the regular season at Chase Field Saturday afternoon.
The loss dropped Dartmouth's record to 4-2 in the Ivy League, 11-4 overall, and raises questions about whether the team will receive a bid to the NCAA post-season tournament.
Despite the score and six minutes of let-down time by Dartmouth, the game was fairly well-balanced between the two teams, who were tied coming into the match.
Harvard scored just over a minute into the game and then scored four more in a three-minute span midway through the first half before Margaret Field '93 put Dartmouth on the board with an unassisted goal 10 minutes before the end of the half. Harvard scored again and Kim Mendelson '97 answered back for Dartmouth before the half closed, making the score 6-2.
The Big Green put themselves back in the game early in the second half with two quick goals by Lauren Holleran '95 and Mya Mangawang '95, but Harvard responded by scoring four more goals in another three-minute spree. The Crimson sealed the win with their last goal of the game with eight minutes left on the clock.
"Harvard played exceptionally well," Dartmouth Coach Amy Patton said. "They came out at us more aggressively than we came at them."
Dartmouth outshot Harvard 29-25 but was hurt by 22 turnovers -- six more than Harvard. Kim Cohen '94 made some key saves in goal and recorded a 50 percent save percentage against the threatening Harvard shots.
"We were confident but nervous and made some mental errors against the poised Harvard team," Patton said. "There are a lot of emotional ties between the two teams that we were unable to leave on the sideline."
The NCAA committee selects six teams for post-season play. Entering yesterday's game Dartmouth was ranked fifth and Harvard sixth.
Last year, when the committee chose two New England teams to compliment four southern selections, Dartmouth received a bid. Two years ago, five southern teams and only one New England team were selected and Dartmouth was surprised when it did not get an invitation.
Patton hopes to beat out seventh ranked William and Mary for the final slot, which should depend on whether the NCAA decides to select a second New England team or a fifth southern squad.
Dartmouth lost to William and Mary in Virginia earlier this season, which may be a factor determining which team will receive the bid, but New England is known for its strong lacrosse and the Big Green are coming off a big upset win over fourth-ranked University of Virginia.
University of Maryland, Princeton, Loyola, Virginia and Harvard, respectively, have most likely secured the first five NCAA invitations. If Dartmouth gets a bid, the team will probably travel to Boston for a rematch against the Crimson next week.
