While one's idea of homecoming athletic events may range from running 104 times around the bonfire to reenacting naval battles in a fraternity basement, this weekend will have its share of true Dartmouth athletic action. Homecoming weekend is not just about the football game, folks.
A veritable cornucopia of sporting events will grace the athletic fields and rinks of Dartmouth this weekend. Here is a look ahead to a few of them.
Men's Soccer
The men's soccer squad, ranked fifth in the northeast, will take on Harvard at 2:30 on Sunday afternoon. Harvard (7-5-1, 1-3 Ivy) comes to Hanover on the heels of a two-game losing streak.
The Big Green (9-4, 3-1), led by Matt LaBarre '04 and Tom Billings '03, hope to improve their Ivy League record and make up for a surprising 2-1 defeat at the hands of Columbia last Saturday in New York. The team received a bit of a pickup on Tuesday when they came from behind to beat Long Island University 2-1.
LaBarre tied Vladic Stanojevic's '90 freshman scoring record of 13 points with an assist against LIU. He leads the team with four goals and five assists for 13 points.
Billings has also been on fire, leading the team with four goals thus far in the season. He was named to the Ivy League Honor Roll last week.
The Big Green are now second only to Brown in the Ivy League standings.
Women's Soccer
The women's soccer team will also take on Harvard on Sunday, with a game time of noon. The Big Green will look to improve on their 10-3 (3-1 Ivy) record by beating the Crimson, who are ranked 11th in the nation.
Harvard is also atop the Ivy League standings with a 4-1 record, their only loss coming to Brown on Sept. 23. Their overall record is 10-3, identical to the Big Green.
Coming off road wins at number 25 Connecticut and Columbia, the Big Green are now ranked number 21 in the National Soccer Coaches' Association of America poll. They have also won seven of their last eight games.
Under the tutelage of first year head coach Erica Walsh, the Big Green have found success. They are led by co-captain Jessica Post '01, who leads the team with 18 points (six goals, six assists) and Katie Price '02, who is second on the team with four goals and two assists for 10 points. Offensively, they have been able to spread the wealth, with 18 different players scoring points, 13 of them netting goals.
On the defensive side, Gretchen Bell '01, Katie Gayman '01, Abby Gillard '01 and Emily Odegard '03 anchor a tight Big Green defense, which has allowed only nine goals all season. Kristin Luckenbill '01 protects the net, and holds a paltry 0.67 goals against average. She has registered three shutouts.
The Big Green looks to turn things around in their rivalry with Harvard, having lost five of the last six meetings between the two.
Field Hockey
The field hockey team will attempt to prove themselves against a very tough Harvard squad at 12:30 on Saturday. Harvard comes into the game with a 4-1 Ivy record (9-4 overall), and is ranked 13th in the nation.
The Big Green enter the weekend coming off a tough 2-1 overtime loss to the University of Massachusetts on Tuesday, bringing their season record to 7-6 (3-2 Ivy).
Rebekka Stucker '04 comes into the game with goals in three of her last four games and is third on the team in scoring with six goals and three assists. Lauren Welsh '03 and Lisa Thomas '03 are first and second in scoring, respectively.
Volleyball
The women's volleyball team travels to Ivy League rival Brown on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. The Bears hold a 1-4 league record (9-10 overall), while the Big Green possess a 3-2 record (8-12).
The Big Green dropped a tough home match to Harvard, 3-1, last Saturday, and are looking to make up some ground in the Ivy standings.
Co-captain Ashley Dean '02 set a Dartmouth record with 35 kills in the match, and also recorded an impressive 26 digs. She was named to the Ivy League Honor Roll for her performance.
Jen Madsen '02 and Erin Naipo '02 both had big weeks for the Green, with Madsen recording a double-double against Boston College, and both compiling 16 kills in the Harvard match. Look for both to play a major role against the Bears.
