Carly Haggard '03 notched a hat-trick in the opening game of the women's hockey season on Friday night as Dartmouth pounded the Catamounts from University of Vermont, winning 7-0.
"It's really great to start off with a win like the one tonight," Haggard said after the game, "This is what we are going to need to be successful this year."
The women's hockey team is considered to be one of the best athletic teams at Dartmouth. Currently ranked fourth in the nation, the Big Green has an excellent chance to contend for the coveted NCAA title this season.
Co-Captain Correne Bredin '02 noted the depth of the team, claiming that it "is more valuable than any other single aspect of the game."
The depth of the team showed on Friday night as 11 different players recorded points in the blowout victory. First on the board was Cherie Piper '06, who scored her first collegiate goal 12:42 into the opening period with assists coming from Jillian Rockoff '03 and Alana BreMiller '05.
With less than three minutes remaining in the first frame, Amy Catlin '03 doubled Dartmouth's lead to 2-0 with helpers from Lydia Wheatley '03 and Louise Pietrangelo '04.
Haggard's first strike came just 36 seconds into the second period. Freshman Katherine Weatherston found the back of the net later in the period with assists from Rockoff and Krista Dornfried '05. The goal was the first of Weatherston's career, and she would pick up her second goal in the third period.
Starting the third period with a 4-0 lead, the Big Green wasted no time in putting the game completely out of reach for Catamounts. Senior leader Haggard quickly scored again as she slipped the puck past the goalie 17 seconds into the period.
After Weatherson's goal, assisted by Danielle Grundy '05, Haggard completed her hat-trick and rounded out the scoring with 11:29 left in the game on a helper from Cheryl Muranko '05. Haggard was pleased with the outcome and glad "that everyone contributed for the win."
The goalie for the Catamounts (1-6-0 overall, 0-1-0 ECAC), Tiffany Hayes, gave a heroic effort by collecting 56 saves as Dartmouth out-shot Vermont 63-8 in the game.
Dartmouth's shutout was the combined work of three goalies. Senior Amy Ferguson worked flawlessly for two periods and received excellent relief from freshmen Katherine Lane and Stephanie Cochran, who combined for a scoreless third.
The team rode its slaughter over Vermont on the road Sunday night, facing off against the Friars of Providence, who were ranked eighth in the nation.
Dartmouth came out firing, recording three goals in the first period, and held off the rough-playing Friars on route to a 3-2 victory in Schneider Arena.
"It was pretty sloppy play by both teams, but we ended up pulling off the win," Haggard said of the game that was filled with penalties on both sides."There was not a lot of flow to the game."
Before the barrage of penalties began, Haggard stuffed in her fourth goal of the young season at the 4:22 mark in the opening period. Twelve minutes later, Dartmouth capitalized on another chance as Catlin pushed the lead to 2-0 on assists from Wheaterston and Wheatley.
The Big Green, rolling with momentum, scored again on a power- play goal by sophomore BreMiller with 18 minutes gone in the first frame. The goal was Dartmouth's ninth this season before its opponents found their way past Ferguson.
Providence's Danielle Culgin narrowed Dartmouth's lead to 3-1 at the 18:37 mark, ending the Big Green's streak of 78 minutes without allowing a goal.
Play got rough after the first period, and penalties plagued both teams in the second and most of the third period.
"It was a different game," goalie Ferguson said.
"The Friars are a bulldog team and love the rough stuff. The penalties took a toll on [both teams]. It was hard to get settled into our game because of the lack of five-on-five."
The Friars added a goal as Jenn Butsch scored with less than three minutes remaining in the game, but Dartmouth's defensive intensity held off Providence's attacks for the rest of the game to preserve the narrow victory. Dartmouth improved to 2-0-0 with the win while Providence dropped to 2-3-1.
Ferguson collected the third 40-save game of her career with a total of 42 stops. "[She] played amazing," Haggard said, "and the strength of our penalty kill was also something positive that came out of the game."
The Big Green (2-0-0 overall, 1-0-0 ECAC) will take its undefeated record into this upcoming weekend's tough matches against ECAC and Ivy League rivals Brown and Harvard.
"Harvard and Brown will be a test," Ferguson noted, "and it'll be the best hockey in the country this weekend. It'll be a good hockey weekend."
Dartmouth, with two wins under its belt, will host Brown on Friday at 7 p.m., and Harvard on Saturday at 4pm. Both games will be in the Dartmouth-friendly Thompson Arena.
