The Dartmouth College women's soccer team grabbed national attention last week by compiling a 2-1-1 record in two tournaments, with three of the four games coming against ranked opponents.
Having played well against their early difficult schedule, the 15th-ranked Big Green needed 80-plus minutes to find the net against an overmatched Maine squad Wednesday afternoon at Chase Field to win their home debut by a score of 1-0.
Big Green (3-1-1) forward Lindsey Bergren '02 grabbed a loose ball which had been deflected after a Jen Murray '01 shot and chipped it over the outstretched arms of Maine (1-3-1) freshman netminder Mandy Cronin and into the upper right corner of the net in the 84th minute.
Dartmouth dominated the entire match and the score could have been as lopsided as the game was, with Dartmouth outshooting the Black Bears 10-0 while the stingy Dartmouth defense allowed Kristin Luckenbill '01 to pick up her second shutout of the season without even making a save. Cronin, who entered the game with a 2.00 goals against average, had five saves on the afternoon but could not reach the Big Green's ninth shot of the day.
One of the reasons the score was only 1-0 was the style of play Maine opted to use against the Green.
"Maine decided to play us for a tie rather than attack us for a win," co-captain Christine Castro '99 said.
"They played a very defensive game and packed the midfield and their zone, but we were able to put pressure on them all game," Bergren said.
The Big Green offense should frighten any and all visitors to Chase Field. The return of Jessica Post '00, who sat out last season with a torn ACL, gives head coach Kelly Blasius-Knudsen another weapon in her arsenal. In addition, California imports Bergren and Jamie Lang '02 supply added firepower. Lang was selected Ivy League Rookie of the Week for the week of Sept. 21 and was a member of the Soccer America Team of the Week for Sept.14,
The Dartmouth side has scored 10 goals in five matches this year with nine different players accounting for the season's tallies. The Big Green will take their balanced offensive attack on the road to Princeton where they will meet the Tigers in their Ivy League opener. Princeton will enter the game with a perfect 3-0-0 record.
Dartmouth returns home next Wednesday for a showdown with Syracuse as the Orangemen and the Green battle for the first time ever.
