However, the Vermont Catamounts never gave the Big Green a chance. Taking a quick 2-0 lead by the 12th minute of the game, the Catamounts took control and never looked back in their 5-2 romp of Dartmouth.
Not even a quick counterattacking goal by captain Megan Strout '08 on an assist from captain Whitney Waugh '08 just over a minute after the Catamounts' second goal could alter the Big Green's losing ways. Soon after Strout cut the deficit to one, senior Danielle Collins scored back to back goals in a span of four minutes to give Vermont a 4-1 lead going into the half.
This kind of early hole was just what Dartmouth was hoping to avoid. On its now five-game losing streak, the Big Green has yet to score two consecutive goals in any contest.
"I think teams are the most vulnerable in the two minutes following any goal," head coach Amy Fowler said. "At best so far this season, we have been able to trade goals with our opponents, but we really have not been able to put consistent strings of success together on both ends of the field."
A noteworthy stat, the Big Green was outshot 22-9 overall. In the first half alone, the team gave up twenty shot opportunities while only recording two for itself. The Catamounts also held an 8-1 advantage in first half penalty corners, one of which turned into the opening goal.
Yet, while much of the attention was on the Big Green's struggles in the first half, Dartmouth seemed somewhat rejuvenated in the second half. At the half, Fowler decided to change the lineup, as the coach split the rest of the game into mini five-minute intervals. As a result, Dartmouth outshot Vermont 7-2 in the second half and had a 3-1 edge in penalty corners.
Strout was encouraged with the team's second-half adjustments on the defensive end, where the team has struggled to control their opponent's attackers recently.
"I am really proud of the team and our play in the second half," Strout said. "Our goal was to work hard in five-minute battles. I think we accomplished that because UVM only got into our defensive circle a few times, and we played most of the second half on their end."
Dartmouth showed a glimpse of the more confident squad which took the field at the beginning of the season and started out with a 2-1 record.
The team will look to put the pieces back together in practice over the next few days and develop a strategy for maintaining focus during a full 70 minutes of play.
"I think that the second half of the UVM game showed us how great we can be and how we can make field hockey fun again," Strout said.
The Big Green will be seeking that elusive taste of victory on the road this weekend against Ivy League rival Yale. The Bulldogs have won their last three games by a 13-2 margin. The game is scheduled for a 12 p.m. start time Saturday afternoon.
