It was inevitable. You knew it was bound to happen--opponents were simply hoping that it wouldn't be their number that was called. The Dartmouth men's soccer team was going to find its stride, and ladies and gentlemen, it happened yesterday afternoon.
The Big Green (3-5, 0-2 Ivy) dismissed a highly-touted Northeastern squad, 2-0, in a rescheduled game at Chase Field. The Big Green clicked from front to back in windy conditions that could have made the game tricky for an inexperienced Dartmouth back line.
The fans should have known this wouldn't be the case on this day, however, as the Dartmouth men took control from the get-go, dominating the pace of play with the wind at their backs in the first half.
"We wanted to take the wind while we had it," coach Jeff Cook said. "However, in the second half, we made an adjustment to a team that would keep the ball on the ground, and it paid off."
It certainly did, for just eight minutes and 53 seconds into the second half, freshman Scott Darci took a pass from Seth Eaton '04 and fired a shot from the middle of the box. That shot was misdirected by a Husky defender and popped in the air with enough topspin to dip over Northeastern keeper Allen Lewis for a one-nil lead. It was Darci's second goal in as many games.
"Scott is a player that has been almost there for a while," Cook said of the Big Green's new scoring leader. "As a [former] two-sport player in high school, he has just started fully focusing on soccer and playing very well."
Darci wasn't done, however, as his hustle and drive would pay off again. On Dartmouth's second goal, he chased a ball down the left side, beat a man off the dribble and drove a cross perfectly across the box onto the head of an on-rushing Juan Romera '03, who buried it top shelf.
"Scotty had played me one in the first half and I missed it," Romera said. "This time I told myself I wouldn't."
The boys finished out regulation time unscathed, as Ben Gebre-Medhin '02 recorded his third shutout of the year in a game in which the line of defenders in front of him didn't allow for many chances.
"I thought the back four played great today," co-captain Danny Markman '02 said. "It was so satisfying to get a win."
The Big Green survived another infirmary scare, it seems, as in the first half forward Matt LaBarre '04 took a knock to the back of the head and had to leave the game groggy.
"I think Matty will be OK," Cook said. "A short-term injury, I think the trainer will hardly call it a concussion."
The news seems to be good for the Big Green, which is now back on the winning track just in time for the annual slugfest with Columbia, this Sunday at Chase Field as part of the Homecoming festivities.
