The Big Green machine beat the Brown Bears, 2-1, in a nail-biter Wednesday night at the Singer Family Park in Manchester, N.H., to extend its winning streak to three games.
Mary McVeigh '03 scored her fifth goal of the season, and Annie Gibson '03 converted a dramatic golden goal in the closing minute of the second overtime period.
This was the first Ivy League victory of the season for Dartmouth, improving its record to 4-3-1 overall and 1-1 in the Ivy League. Meanwhile, the Bears (3-4-1 overall, 0-2-1 Ivy League) lost their third-straight game.
Despite the close score, Dartmouth kept its dominance throughout the game. The potent forward line created many offensive chances and the Bears failed to penetrate the stalwart Big Green defense.
Dartmouth's first score came in the 32nd minute of the game, when McVeigh was taken down in the penalty area by a Brown defender.
McVeigh fired a bullet into the right side of the net on the ensuing penalty shot to put Dartmouth up, 1-0.
That marked the 52nd point of her Dartmouth career and puts her into a tie for ninth place on the school's all-time leading scorer list with Tracy Hagan.
Brown's offense proved to be no match for the Dartmouth defense, recording only two shots on goal in the entire first half, also failing to convert on the opportunities created by four corner kicks.
Dartmouth came out even more aggressive in the second half, penetrating the Brown defense often. But the highlight of the second half was Dartmouth's heartbreaker-- Brown's tying goal with less than nine minutes left in the game.
Brown's Molly Cahan received a pass from Laura Iden from 12 yards out and scored the tying goal, sending the game into overtime.
After a scoreless first overtime, in which Brown looked exhausted and Dartmouth looked confident, the game went into second overtime. Brown continued to struggle on offense, and simply could not create scoring chances.
With less than a minute left, when most fans in attendance anticipated a tie, Gibson used her superior speed to run from midfield past a Brown defender and released a blast that Brown's goalie Sarah Gervais had no chance of saving.
Julia Shields '03 started between the goalposts, recording a shutout first half and lowering her goals- against average to 1.25.
Anne Marbarger '05, who came in at the half and played both overtimes, gave up a goal in the second half but played spectacularly otherwise, lowering her GAA from 1.66 to 1.62.
The Big Green offense was once again dominant -- following Sunday's 28-shot effort, the most in three seasons, with a 21-shot game.
The Dartmouth women's soccer team showed no signs of its early-season struggles, and played like the nationally-recognized NCAA powerhouse that many anticipated coming into the season.
Boston University, coming off a 1-0 win against Boston College on Wednesday night, will challenge Dartmouth's winning-streak in the Green's next contest.
The Terriers, who are 4-5-1 overall and 1-0-0 in America East, feature Jessica Clinton in goal, who has recorded a 1.37 GAA this season with two shutouts.
The BU Terriers have played solid defense all season, and opponents have found the goalposts narrower than normal when Clinton appears in goal.
Their offense has lacked potency, however, outshooting opponents but remaining outscored. This is good news for the Big Green, whose defense has been spectacular of late.
The Terriers had been struggling, having lost three-straight games before winning their last game, and face a tight schedule, playing University of New Hampshire on Friday before Sunday's contest with Dartmouth.
The Big Green plays host to BU at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
