Last weekend the women's field hockey team proved that you do not need the comforts of home to play with confidence. With a 1-0 win over Brown on Saturday and a 2-0 defeat of the University of Rhode Island on Sunday, the Big Green improved their overall record to 5-3-1 and 2-0-1 in the Ivy League.
After beating nationally-ranked University of New Hampshire last Wednesday, the Big Green felt confident heading into this weekend's roadtrip. "The confidence we gained from our UNH victory enticed us to play relentlessly against Brown. Our ambition was to finish out the week undefeated, and we achieved that goal," forward Sarah Devens '96 said.
In Providence on Saturday, Allison Pell '96 scored her fourth goal of the season off a penalty shot in the 41st minute of play. Dartmouth keeper Lauren Demski '96 made eight saves.
"We always get excited for the Ivy games" Demski said. But the game was not an easy one. "The playing conditions made the game difficult because we were not used to playing on turf. The shots came a lot faster so we had to adjust."
Cynthia Roberts '96 agreed. "Our passing was good and we played really well. We dominated in the midfield, and really took control of the game."
Control was also the key for Dartmouth as the team extended its winning streak against Rhode Island Sunday. Early in the second half, Devens assisted Roberts in the first goal of the game. Once was not enough, however, and Roberts scored again later in the second half off of an assist by Kathleen Hickey '96.
"The switch from turf to grass made the game a lot easier" Roberts said. "We really stepped up to the ball and played a great offensive and defensive game."
Dartmouth outshot Rhode Island 19-14 and Ram goalie Kellie Gorman had 16 saves. Dartmouth's defense was superb and allowed only three shots on goal. Demski blocked all three, edging her record to 5 shutouts this season.
"As a goalie, you never want to be scored on, but every shutout is a victory for the whole team," Demski said. "Our defense played really well and they deserve just as much credit for a shutout."
After beating Yale and UNH last week, and Brown and Rhode Island over the weekend, Dartmouth carries an impressive four-game winning streak -- its longest streak since 1988. The record will be put to the test once again this Saturday when the team plays the Princeton Tigers, who are undefeated in the Ivy League.
"We'll be preparing all week for Saturday's game," Demski said. "We can definitely take a lot from this past weekend to build upon. Our midfielders played especially well at Brown and our offense and defense were strong at URI. We'll be using both games to prepare for Princeton."
This Saturday could be the determining factor in the Big Green's quest for the Ivy Championship. After their recent success, the team is confident.
"This Saturday is a huge game for us," Roberts said. "If we beat them, it could put us in first place in the Ivies. I think we have a pretty good chance of beating Harvard and Cornell later on in the season, but Princeton is the big game."
Hickey agreed. "This week, we'll be completely focused on preparing for Princeton," she said. "I think we're really set to beat them and I have a lot of confidence in our team. Winning four games in a row is a huge thing for us. It really shows what we've become as a team and how we've grown."
All grown up and ready to play, the field hockey team looks ahead to this Saturday with high hopes. "It should be a fine match-up" Demski said. "We're very excited."
