With this year's selection, Dartmouth, an NCAA semifinalist in 2005, will make its eighth trip in nine years and 11th appearance in program history to the big dance.
After starting the season as the third-ranked team in the nation, Dartmouth's road to the NCAA tournament turned out to be a rough ride for the women in green.
The team suffered a devastating 11-10 overtime loss to then No. 13 Syracuse in its season opener, before losses to Maryland, Yale and Cornell further damaged the team's morale. But the Big Green (11-5, 5-2 Ivy) were able to make a total turnaround in the latter part of the season to be selected as one of eight at-large teams to the tournament.
"The team could not be more proud to be heading into postseason again," Jen Pittman '06 said. "We had a rough start to the year and it really shows the resolve that this team has to really fight it out when we are in a tough spot. An NCAA berth really shows how we were able to turn around a slow start."
While inconsistent play may have plagued the team in the early goings of the season, Sunday's match-up against the Terriers will offer the team a chance to show some consistency.
The Big Green defeated the Terriers (15-4, 5-1 America East Conference) in a lopsided 11-5 victory a little over two weeks ago and will look to repeat the win. Dartmouth currently leads the all-time series 8-1.
"I am totally confident that we will come off with a great win again," Margo Duke '07 said. "The playoffs bring intensity to games and with BU as the host site for the Final Four, I am sure they will come out especially hard. But we know what we are capable of against BU and I am sure we will do it again."
The rivalry between the Big Green and the Terriers has been fueled by years of intense competition and inflamed by last year's contest. Last season, BU spoiled Dartmouth's 13-game winning streak, the longest streak in program history.
"Ever since last year's game, when they halted our winning streak, we have been out to set them straight," Kristin Barry '08 said. "This game will be no different."
But there were mixed feelings about what to expect from the Terriers. Some think that a Big Green win is inevitable, but others remain reserved. All agree, however, that BU tops the priority list for the Big Green right now.
"We are not looking past this Sunday," Pittman said. "As far as the team is concerned, we have one game left of the season. We are not looking at the possibility of a rematch with Princeton, nor are we looking at the possibility of playing Virginia.
"We are playing Boston University on Sunday and that's all we are concerned about right now."
And the Terriers are a formidable opponent in Division I. Just ask No. 3 Georgetown and No. 5 North Caroline, whom BU defeated earlier in the season. The Terriers also captured the America East Conference title last Sunday with a 12-10 win over the University of New Hampshire.
"They are a very good and scrappy team," Devon Wills '06 said. "The front round of playoffs is the hardest because both teams are so fired up. It is going to be a really fun and intense game."
The Big Green need to watch out for BU sophomore Jenny Hauser, who earned the Player of the Year award for the America East Conference and was a first-team all-conference pick. In addition, Terriers seniors Mary Beth Miller, Lindsay Lewis and Danica Strutt are all potential threats to Dartmouth.
"I think the game on Sunday will be an unbelievable game," Whitney Douthett '07 said. "It is never an easy match-up against BU. It is usually an all-out, emotional fight."
The winner of the Dartmouth-BU match will play the victor of the Princeton-Virginia contest on May 20. But the odds are against the Tigers, who fell to No. 2 Virginia in the regular season.
There will be many familiar faces at this year's tournament for the Big Green. The women in green have already confronted seven of the 15 other squads selected, winning four of those contests.
If the Dartmouth women can reel off four more wins against tournament teams, the big prize will be theirs.
"We are looking at this as one game at a time, but we want four games," Wills said. "I think a national title is a possibility. If we can keep getting better and playing our style of lacrosse, we will be playing in Boston in the Final Four."
Sunday's face-off is set for 1 p.m. Admission will be free for Dartmouth students.
