Dartmouth took control of the game with a dominant second half. The Big Green (3-7, 0-2 Ivy) outscored the Friars 5-1 in the half, allowing a total of only six shots. Dartmouth also held an opponent scoreless in a quarter for the first time all season.
Co-captain Brian Koch '09 led the way with a game-high four goals and an assist. Jack Steele '11 added a career-best two goals.
The Friars (5-5, 4-0 Metro Atlantic) took an early lead after junior Ryan Vermette scored just three minutes into the game. Koch tied the score halfway through the first quarter with a man-advantage goal, and Josh Gillam '10 scored four minutes later to give Dartmouth a 2-1 advantage going into the second quarter.
"We controlled face-offs and groundballs, and we had a lot of opportunities," Kip Dooley '12 said. "We just weren't able to score as much as we could have."
Providence equalized the score a minute into the second quarter with a goal from freshman Pete Wujciak. The Big Green, however, again grabbed the lead with a goal from Steele. The Friars were able to tie the game at three going into halftime with an unassisted effort from junior Ryan Reidl.
"It was definitely frustrating to go into the half tied," goalie Fergus Campbell '12 said. "We were dominating play, but we weren't worried, because I knew we'd definitely score eventually."
The Big Green came out strong in the second half, netting a goal just eight seconds into the third quarter to take the lead the team would keep for the remainder of the contest. Ari Sussman '10 found an open Koch, who dispatched his second goal of the afternoon. Koch scored yet again eight minutes later, and then assisted on an effort from Steele to run Dartmouth's lead to a commanding 6-3.
"It's a great confidence boost to have [Sussman and Koch] play well," Campbell said. "When they play well we all feel like we can play better."
Providence was unable to mount an offensive response, as the Dartmouth defense put in a strong quarter of play, Dooley said.
"Our defense really stepped up today," he said. "We've been playing some good teams lately, and we had a tough time earlier this season, but everything clicked today."
The Friars looked to get back in the game, scoring early in the fourth quarter, but were unable to find any other scoring opportunities, mustering just two shots in the rest of the game. Empty-net goals from Koch and Rhett Miller '11 completed the scoring for the Big Green.
"It's a good win going into a tough part of our schedule," Campbell said. "If we can use this momentum to win against Cornell over the weekend, we can still possibly contend for the league title and a tournament berth."
Overall, Dartmouth outshot the Friars 40-14.
Koch finished the game with a team-high four goals. The senior has had a tremendous run lately, with nine goals and three assists in his past five games.
"He's a huge part of the team," Dooley said. "He leads by example, and today was one of his best games. He scored four goals, but what's really great is how he fought for groundballs and willed the team."
Dartmouth now enters the toughest stretch of its season. The Big Green will play its remaining five games against the No. 1 University of Virginia, Cornell, Yale, Harvard and Princeton. All of the Big Green's remaining opponents except Yale are ranked in the top 15 in the country.
Dartmouth will host league-leading No. 3 Cornell this Saturday. The game will be played at Scully-Fahey field at 1 p.m.
