The Dartmouth women tamed the University of New Hampshire Wildcats 10-5 yesterday afternoon at Chase Field, placing Dartmouth first in its region and securing the team bid to the NCAA tournament.
Despite inconsistent play, number-three ranked Dartmouth took an early lead over unranked UNH, going up 5-0 by halftime.
"I expect to have the team play more consistent at this point in the season," Coach Amy Patton said. "The smarts should be there game in and game out and it wasn't there. That was our biggest problem today."
Senior co-Captain Lauren Holleran rolled in the first goal on a free position 6:35 into the game.
The next goal did not come until eight minutes later when Wallis Cook '95 intercepted a clear by UNH goalie Stephanie Olsen. Cook passed to Sarah Devens '96 at the left of the goal who sent it directly to Kim Mendelson '97 on the right side of the goal. Mendelson fired on Olsen and brought the score up to 2-0.
Just over three minutes later, at 18:07, Devens picked up a loose ball from a deflected shot by Mendelson and shot to the lower right, increasing Dartmouth's lead to three.
Dartmouth's patience with the ball allowed the team to score again. Mendelson had her second of the afternoon off a pass from Holleran.
Dartmouth's fifth goal came from Cook on a free position with a bounce shot to the left of Olsen's feet. This goal brought the score to 5-0.
In the second half, Dartmouth reverted to its old ways, allowing UNH recoup.
Cook and Mendelson each tallied two goals, to give Mendelson four for the afternoon, while Julia Morrill '98 put in one for Dartmouth.
Two of UNH's five goals came on an open net as goalie Kirsten Prettyman '95 was called for two fouls.
"They were questionable calls. I was most disappointed that the team started focusing on the officials. Those players more or less took themselves out of the game. Our defense is such a team defense that it really hurt us," Patton said
With just 1:45 left in the game, defenseman Maura Schneider '96 went down holding her knee. She later left the field on crutches with her knee wrapped.
"[Schneider is] one of our best defenders," Patton said. "It's a very large loss. We'll have to regroup and may have some players switch around [positions]." Dartmouth will challenge top-ranked Maryland this Saturday at Chase Fields for the number one spot in the nation.
