Since dropping its season-opener, the Dartmouth men's lacrosse team has looked impressive in rattling off five consecutive victories.
After downing Colgate for its first win of the season, the Big Green clobbered Hartford March 9 by a score of 16-2 at Scully-Fahey Field in Hanover. Jamie Coffin '06 led the team with four goals, scoring three in the first half as Dartmouth jumped to a 9-0 lead. Even Stephen Daley '05 scored. Andrew Goldstein '05 was perfect in the goal, keeping the Hawks (0-3) scoreless in his 50 minutes in front of the net.
"The team effort was excellent," said Russell Radebaugh '04. "We all played well together, and it was like whoa."
Radebaugh scored three goals and dropped three dimes in Dartmouth's next victory, a 15-10 shellacking of Sacred Heart (0-5) March 20th in Fairfield, Conn.. Coffin and Ben Grinnell '05 also recorded hat-tricks as Dartmouth outshot Sacred Heart, 38-29.
The Big Green then traveled to Hamden, Conn., to face Quinnipiac (1-4) March 23. Behind another strong performance from Goldstein in the goal (10 saves) and a well-balanced attack on offense, Dartmouth cruised to a 15-6 victory. Coffin and Grinnell again scored three goals apiece, and Radebaugh and Tom Daniels '04 each knocked in a pair.
"We are starting to click together really well as a team," said Coffin. "In the past couple of games we have produced a lot of goals and held teams to only a few."
Coffin recorded his 13th goal in four games, scoring three more times as Dartmouth finished off its spring break by defeating Fairfield 12-9 on Saturday afternoon in Hanover. Brad Heritage '06 also netted three goals as the Big Green pushed its record to 5-1 on the season. Particularly impressive was the play of face-off specialist Geoff Colla '04 who had separated his shoulder only three days before the contest.
During the current five-game win streak, Dartmouth's average margin of victory has been greater than seven goals a game as the defense has limited opponents to a measly average of 6.2 goals. Especially strong has been the team's play late in games.
Dartmouth's recent success has been timely, as the Big Green gains momentum going into the most challenging stretch of its schedule.
"We have done some good things in winning five in a row," said Goldstein. "Our last game against Fairfield was the best four quarters we have put together so far this season, but we will have to step our game up to another level in order to beat Notre Dame. It is a good test for us leading into the Ivy schedule." Dartmouth faces No. 13 Notre Dame on Sunday, April 4 at Moose Krause Stadium.
