Looking for answers after the last Saturday's dismal Ivy League opener when it fell to Princeton 15-2, the women's lacrosse team put the offense into high gear against the University of New Hampshire.
The Big Green defeated the Wildcats 20-10 in Durham yesterday afternoon. The win improved the Big Green's record to 4-2 overall.
The Big Green wasted no time in putting the ball in the back of the net, as they scored 13 consecutive goals to bolt out to a 13-3 lead in the first half.
Although the team's leading scorers contributed their goals, it was truly a collective effort during the offensive binge, as eight different players scored goals in the first half.
As usual, attacker Julia Morrill '98 led the way, scoring three of her four goals in the first half onslaught. Kelly Hannigan '97 added two goals in the first half, while Maura Schneider '96 and Catherine Passano '98 also scored as the Big Green went to the half with a commanding lead.
The offense, fueled by the bench, continued its scoring early in the second half, scoring seven goals in the opening 20 minutes of the half to push the Big Green's lead to 20-5.
The Wildcats scored the last five goals of the game to close the margin of defeat, but it was a contest in which the Big Green was never challenged.
Morrill finished added two assists to give her six points to lead all players. Hannigan and Passano both finished with three goals, while Passano also notched an assist. Schneider finished with three points, two goals and an assist.
In between the posts, freshman goalie Sarah Carlson, who made five saves on the afternoon, was rarely tested in a game in which both the Big Green offense and defense provided a complete effort.
"It was an excellent game for our team in many aspects," Weze Shorts '99 said. "The offense was able to work on many of our attack plays. Throughout the game we had momentum, played tough defense and pressured hard in the midfield. They were generally a weak team, and as a result the entire team got a chance to play. We needed team morale after last weekend's loss, so we went to win."
After the loss to Princeton, Dartmouth dropped four places this week in the Brine/IWLCA Women's Lacrosse Poll from number five to number nine. Defending national champion Maryland, 8-0 on the season, sits in first place.
The team now heads into a big home weekend, facing Pennsylvania in an Ivy League contest Saturday afternoon and the Nittany Lions of Penn State on Sunday.
