With the Big Green's record now at 5-3-2, their chances of being contenders in the NCAA tournament are endangered.
The men's soccer team dominated in its game against Cornell this Saturday, but was unable to outscore, allowing the Big Red to walk away from Chase Field with a 2-2 tie.
"We gave a tremendous effort," Coach Fran O'Leary said. "But we were unrewarded."
Dartmouth's offense struggled in the uneventful first half, but the Big Green came out firing in the second half with Bill Cronin '95 scoring the game's first goal in the 46th minute.
Cronin, who had been out of action for two weeks battling a knee injury, knocked in a loose ball created by a close-range shot from Hunter Paschall '96. Cornell goalie Quinn O'Sullivan stopped Paschall, but couldn't touch Cronin's shot.
One minute later, Cornell midfielder Michael Tomlinson got free on a breakaway, only to be caught from behind by Asa Marokus '95 inside the Dartmouth penalty box. Making somewhat of a questionable call, referee Al Cece awarded Cornell with a penalty kick.
Tomlinson took the penalty kick, aiming it towards the lower left corner of the goal, but goalie Brian Wiese '95 made a spectacular save, getting a hand on the shot and deflecting it wide.
In describing the save, Wiese credited former coach Bobby Clark with teaching him how to judge which side a penalty kick shooter aims for.
"Clark taught me how to guess which side to go for by looking at how the shooter approaches the ball," Wiese said. "This time, I guessed right."
With the pace of the game increasing, Dartmouth nearly added another goal to its lead when Ian Saward '95 hit a 70-yard pass to a sprinting David Moran '96. Moran's one-touch shot from 25 yards out dipped, but went over the crossbar.
Marokus and Cronin also came close to putting the Big Green up by two goals, each heading crosses from Blaine LeGere '95. But Marokus' 62nd minute header was saved by O'Sullivan, and Cronin's 66th minute attempt went across the goal mouth, just missing the far post.
Cornell took advantage of Dartmouth's inability to increase the lead, tying the game in the 77th minute with a perfectly-placed free-kick from junior Adamo Notarantonio. Cornell's Todd Jacobson drew the foul, and Notarantonio knocked the ball into the lower-right side of the net.
Five minutes into the overtime period, the Big Green reclaimed the lead, going up 2-1. Marokus controlled a loose ball and was tripped 25 yards from Cornell's goal.
With the ensuing free-kick, Saward chipped the ball to Marokus, who took advantage of his second chance for a goal-scoring header, snapping his neck and striking the ball across the goalmouth and into the right side-netting.
But Cornell was once again able to tie the game, scoring with just six minutes remaining. Big Red defender Rob Elliot played a long-ball that went over the Dartmouth defense and Russell Walker was able to run it down and slip it past Wiese.
"I credit Cornell," O'Leary said. "They battled back well in overtime."
Despite outshooting the Big Red 21-11, the Big Green could not pull out the victory.
"We needed the win," said Cronin, whose goal was his first of the season.
Dartmouth certainly may have needed the win, but instead of dwelling on the Cornell game, the players will focus their attention on the Providence College team, which comes to Hanover Wednesday. Kickoff is at 3:30 pm on Chase Field.
