team began its Ivy League schedule
with a contest under the lights against
the Tigers of Princeton University. Despite
the team's strong performance,
the Big Green women fell 2-1.
The temperature Saturday evening
dropped below 50 degrees, weather
more typically associated with football
than soccer.
From the beginning, the Big Green
was behind the eight ball as Princeton
drew first blood, scoring a goal in the
11th minute. Goalkeeper Laurel Peak
'09 tried to make a play on a ball out
of her box and Princeton's Alexandra
Valerio beat her to it, finishing the play
with a chip shot over Peak to give the
visitors the early lead.
Princeton had another opportunity
in the thirty-fifth minute when one of
their strikers attempted a bending shot
from the corner of the penalty area.
This time, however, Peak was up to
the challenge, making an outstanding
save to keep the deficit at one as she
dove to her right and knocked the ball
away with one hand.
Peak finished the night with seven
saves, as Princeton played much of
the game in the offensive zone, with
16 shots, nine of which were on goal,
as opposed to Dartmouth's 13 shots,
four of which were on goal.
Princeton threatened once again
15 minutes after halftime when senior
Diana Matheson broke through theDartmouth defense with only the
goalie to beat, but Peak was able to
make a charging save, knocking the
ball away before Matheson had a
chance to take a shot.
Nevertheless, it was not to be for
the Big Green women on this night.
With 17 minutes remaining, Princeton
capitalized on a corner kick opportunity.
The Tigers' Elizabeth Van Buren
sent the corner right to Melissa
Whitley, who netted a fine header to
provide the goal which would be the
difference in the game.
Annie Stanley '08 nearly put
Dartmouth on the board with nine
remaining when she unleashed a hard
shot from just outside the penalty area.
However, the Princeton goalkeeper
Maren Dale, who had four saves on the
night, was up to the task, getting just
enough of her hand on the ball to push
it up and over the crossbar. Dartmouth
was unable to take advantage of the
subsequent corner kick.
With three minutes left in the game,
Maggie Goldstein '10 scored a beautiful
goal which brought Dartmouth
within one. Goldstein got the ball in
the midfield and let off a majestic
shot from over 30 yards out. The ball
dipped and moments later ended up
in the back of the net.
Dartmouth rushed to restart the
game in hopes of gaining an equalizer
but it was too little too late.
The Dartmouth midfield was able
to draw a free kick from almost the
exact same spot as Goldstein's goal.
Goldstein set up to take the kick, but
this time, however, her shot sailed wide
right, a miss which effectively ended
Dartmouth's chances as Princeton
held on for the victory.
"I thought we played well and we
fought, especially in the first half after
we lost the goal," head coach Angie
Hind said.
"We maintained that intensity
throughout the game but we just gave
away a bad mistake for the first goal. At
this level and in this league you can't
give yourself such a battle from the
start."
The Big Green falls to 2-7 on
the year and is now 0-1 in the Ivy
League.
Next weekend, Dartmouth takes its
show back on the road with a trip to
New Haven on Saturday to face Yale.
