While most Dartmouth students were getting ready to come back to campus, the Dartmouth field hockey team began its 2000 season with a bang. Led by new Head Coach Amy Fowler, the Big Green earned a stellar 4-0 record.
The squad started off the season on Sept. 8 with an 8-1 defeat of the University of Albany at Scully-Fahey Field. The Great Danes scored early on in the game, but Dartmouth team captain Jillian Joyce '01 tied it up with a goal at the 5:00 mark. Dartmouth dominated the rest of the game.
Lauren Welsh '03 netted a hat trick and contributed an assist to lead all scorers in the game.
Goalies Brittany D'Augustine '01 and Kirsten Anderson '02 combined to stop two Great Dane shots.
The Big Green then faced Quinnipiac at home on Sept. 10, and came away with a 6-0 triumph. Lisa Thomas '03 converted a penalty corner a minute into the game to start off Dartmouth's scoring run.
Welsh and Carolyn Steele '03 scored two goals each, and Sarah Damon '02 also netted a goal. D'Augustine and Anderson combined once again to block two shots on goal.
Dartmouth next faced Ivy rival Brown University at home on Saturday. In double overtime, Welsh scored an unassisted goal to put the Big Green over the top, 2-1.
The score was tied 0-0 at the half, and the Big Green came out strong with Thomas scoring the first goal of the game 40 seconds into the half.
The Bears were kept scoreless until they put in the tying goal with 1:03 left to play. After trading a total of eight shots in both overtimes, Welsh finally netted her goal with 3:16 left.
D'Augustine blocked a season-high 14 shots.
The team faced the University of Maine on Sunday in Hanover. In another nerve-wracking overtime, Welsh put in her seventh goal of the season to seal the Big Green victory, 2-1.
Dartmouth's first goal came from Katie Putnam '04, who knocked the ball in after a penalty corner kick in the first half.
Maine went into the second half behind, but tied the score at the 4:44 mark.
Welsh, who leads the team with 15 points, knocked in the gamewinner off of a Caitlin Barrett '04 assist. D'Augustine made 10 saves for the Big Green.
Dartmouth travels to New Jersey to face Princeton on Saturday in an important Ivy League matchup.
