Providence failed Dartmouth men's soccer. Paradoxically, it was Providence that beat the Big Green men's soccer team 3-1 yesterday afternoon in Rhode Island.
The Providence College Friars (9-8-1), owners of a .500 record and no post-season hopes entering the game, took out the once-13th-ranked Big Green (9-5-1) with ease. Dartmouth continues to reel after a scorching start, dropping its fourth straight game, the team's worst skid in four years.
Dartmouth is accustomed to slow starts in games, but yesterday was ridiculous. Providence scored first at 2:55. Less than three minutes into the contest, Gary Corrigan put the Friars' first goal in the back of the Dartmouth net.
In the 35th minute, Providence appeared again -- for Providence. Kevin Jones sent a shot high over Dartmouth goalie Matt Nyman '99 on a breakaway. And the Friars led 2-0.
Neither team scored for the remainder of the half.
But with Dartmouth's penchant for second-half comebacks, it was sure to score early in the second period. But it didn't.
In fact, Providence scored a mere 8:30 into the half, all but sealing the game with over 35 minutes remaining.
Dartmouth did try to come back. The Green peppered the Providence goalie tandem of Daniel Pires and Chris Tate with 12 shots. Unfortunately, three flew wide and eight were saved.
At 73:52, Brad Christof '01 scored Dartmouth's lone goal on a feed from Nick Magnuson '01. That ended the scoring.
Nyman endured another poor afternoon. Since setting Dartmouth's career record for shutouts two weeks ago, he has lost his last four starts. On the afternoon, Nyman saved two shots.
Other cold players include striker Chris Dedicik '99. After opening the season with six goals in four games -- which lead the nation -- he has scored one in the last eleven.
All-American Brendan Reidy '99 was left out in the cold against Providence, forced to sit out the game after receiving a red card against Harvard on Saturday.
Reidy and the rest of the Dartmouth defense lately have not performed up to their early-season standard. Some have remarked that it seems like they're somewhere else. At least against Providence, Reidy was.
Despite the Green's losing streak, there is still a possibility of their making the playoffs. With two games remaining, against Columbia on Sunday and at Brown next week, two victories and a Brown defeat or tie against Harvard gives Dartmouth the Ivy title and an automatic bid.
A less likely scenario has Dartmouth receiving an at-large bid based on its dominance early in the year. That would still require superb showings against both the Green's remaining opponents and a late Indian summer for a team that has gone as cold as the weather.
