Following last week's win over New Hampshire, Rebekka Stucker '04 said: "If we play with that kind of passion every game, no one can beat us." That passion was on display again on a blustery afternoon yesterday at Scully-Fahey Field, as the Big Green scored early and often en route to a 4-0 drubbing of I-89 rival University of Vermont.
On paper, Dartmouth was the heavy favorite against the Catamounts. The Big Green led the all-time series 22-4-2 and against common opponents this season, Dartmouth was 3-1 compared to Vermont's 0-4. However, games against Vermont have always been hard fought, and if the Big Green has learned anything this season, it is not to take any game for granted.
Dartmouth (8-4, 1-2 Ivy) came out firing and wasted no time declawing the Catamounts (6-9). Following a penalty corner in the game's second minute, Stucker redirected a blast by Lisa Thomas '03 to get Dartmouth on the board. It was just the start Dartmouth was looking for and the beginning of a long afternoon for Vermont keeper Holly Colberg.
Much of the play for the rest of the half was back and forth in the midfield, with the Big Green holding a 9-5 edge in shots. Vermont tried to get the equalizer in the waning moments of the half, but poor execution on a penalty corner combined with a big save by Kirsten Anderson '02 kept the Big Green in control at the break.
In the second half, sustained pressure in Vermont's defensive third wore down the visitors and allowed the Big Green to open up the attack. Dartmouth threatened frequently using textbook passing. After the ball rolled out of bounds on the left flank, midfielder Averill Doering '04 switched the point of attack by sending a long pass across the field to Kate Alexander '02. Alexander found freshman Lindsay Moyer in the center of the field. Moyer split the Vermont defense on her own before dishing off to a teammate, only to have the ball blocked.
Moments later, on almost an identical play, Moyer decided to keep it herself and capped off an amazing 30-yard run with a bullet past Colberg.
It was Moyer's first collegiate goal.
Dartmouth refused to rest on its two-goal cushion, as Lauren Welsh '03 tapped home a rebound at the midpoint of the second half.
Unfortunately for the Catamounts, their nightmare would last for 17 more minutes. With seven minutes to go, Stucker netted her second goal of the afternoon.
Similar to her earlier one, Stucker's seventh of the season came off a rebound.
Stucker's goal capped the scoring for the Big Green.
At the other end, freshman netminder Alexia Huffman preserved Anderson's shutout for the final eight minutes. Anderson and Huffman combined for Dartmouth's fifth shutout of the season.
Dartmouth hopes to preserve its winning ways on Saturday. The Big Green will host Columbia at 11 a.m.
