Dartmouth (9-3-1, 4-0 Ivy) boasts an eight-game unbeaten streak and a perfect 4-0 Ivy League record. The Big Green defense, led by goalkeeper Amanda Webb '08, hasn't allowed a goal in eight games.
While the offense has not been lighting up the scoreboard, it has done just enough. In five of its last six contests -- four of them coming in the Ivy League -- Dartmouth managed 1-0 wins. The only blowout win that the Big Green has claimed this season is the 5-0 win over Iowa more than a month ago.
"I was a little disappointed that we could not score more goals," Dartmouth head coach Angie Hind said about Dartmouth's output against Penn.
Dartmouth's lone goal came in the 29th minute when Penn's goalkeeper Cailly Carroll misplayed a ball after challenging Myra Sack in the penalty box. The ball ended up in Tracy's possession about 30 yards out and the senior forward seized the opportunity and fired a shot into the unattended goal.
"I was just in the right place at the right time," Tracy said modestly, in the same way she described her game-winning goal against Princeton just two weeks ago.
Dartmouth's offense, as usual, played to win in the first half and took full advantage of the flaws of a youthful Penn defense. The Big Green outshot the Quakers 9-2 in the first half.
Penn came close to scoring in the last minute of play of the first half. The Quakers' Natalie Capuano gained possession of the ball and took a shot with Webb down at a distant corner. Colleen Kelly '07 came to the rescue by blocking the shot and saving the shutout.
Hind praised the performances of Kelly, Whitney Douthett '07 and Annie Stanley '08 against Penn, and remarked on the strength and consistency of the Dartmouth defense throughout the season.
"[The defense] is unbelievable right now," Hind said. "I am proud of our record although we don't talk about it."
The Big Green continued to dominate in the second half. The Quakers managed five shots but were unable to convert. Dartmouth held a 4-0 advantage in corner kicks in the game and outshot Penn 16-7 overall.
Webb made six saves in the game and recorded her eighth shutout of the season. The junior goalkeeper currently holds a 0.48 goals against average. At her current rate, Webb is on pace to break every Dartmouth shutout record and shatter the goals against average record by the end of the season.
Dartmouth hits the road on Wednesday to face in-state rival University of New Hampshire at Lewis Field in the Big Green's last non-conference match of the season.
The Big Green shares three common opponents with the Wildcats this season: the Vermont Catamounts, the Brown Bears and the Boston University Terriers, who were ranked 10th in the nation before falling to Dartmouth 1-0 last Wednesday. The Bears and Terriers handed UNH losses but suffered 1-0 defeats to the Big Green this season. The Wildcats defeated the Catamounts 1-0, while Dartmouth shutout Vermont 2-0.
If the Big Green can successfully contain UNH's Sara Hourihan and Michelle Sheehan, a shutout might be in the cards. Hourihan is the scoring leader for the Wildcats and was named America East's Rookie of the Year in 2005 while Sheehan netted two goals and made four assists this season for UNH.
After the UNH trip, Dartmouth will travel to Columbia (6-4-3, 3-0-1 Ivy) for its fifth Ivy match.
The Lions are the only other undefeated team in the Ivy League and the only Ivy League team that could seriously threaten the Big Green's postseason hopes.
