Playing at home for the first time in nearly a month, the Dartmouth women's soccer team defended its perfect record against Ivy League competition on Saturday, defeating Princeton 2-1. The Big Green won in dramatic fashion, with a header by Ali Hubbard '10 finding its way into the net three minutes into the second overtime period.
The Tigers (3-6-1, 0-2-0 Ivy) did not take long to get on the scoreboard, as freshman Caitlin Blosser headed a cross into the Dartmouth goal in the 14th minute. Blosser's goal was followed by three Dartmouth (5-4-0, 2-0-0 Ivy) corner kicks in under two minutes.
After a slow start, the Big Green showed life on offense when Aly O'Dea '12 scored her team-best fifth goal of the season off of assists from Myra Sack '10 and Sarah Bromley '11 in the 27th minute.
Both teams played evenly for the rest of the half, with much of the action occurring at the midline. Despite a few scares for the team, strong defensive play and several saves by keeper Colleen Hogan '12 kept the score tied at 1-1 going into the break.
First half tensions boiled over at the beginning of the second half, when Dartmouth and Princeton players exchanged words after two players went down chasing after the ball.
"Every Ivy is competitive," Head coach Angie Hind said. "The intensity was very impressive."
The ball remained on the Tigers' side of the field for most of the second half, and the Dartmouth women had a few excellent scoring chances. One opportunity came when Kelsey Quick '10 managed to get behind a Princeton defender to receive a crossing pass, but Princeton netminder Alyssa Pont threw herself on the ball before any damage could be done.
The Big Green was able to maintain control despite the absence of key contributors O'Dea and Becky Poskin '09, who spent the first part of the half on the bench, a move designed simply to give the players some deserved rest, Hind said.
"We felt that a little bit of a break would make sure they were fresh for the final 20 minutes," she said.
Despite Dartmouth's multiple scoring opportunities, the score remained tied at 1-1 at the end of regulation, sending the game into the Big Green's third overtime of the season.
While no goals were scored in the first overtime, Dartmouth continued to create scoring opportunities. In the third minute, Quick once again got off a close shot, but the ball flew just over the crossbar. Later, in the sixth minute, Hogan's diving save ended the Tigers' only real chance at a goal during the period.
The Big Green dialed up its intensity in the second overtime, and after several near misses, Hubbard's shot found the net, finally giving Dartmouth the victory.
"It was our home field," said Hind. "We wanted to go out and force the game, and we played pretty strong."
Dartmouth now stands in first place in the Ivy League with six points. This season marks the first time the Big Green have started a season 2-0 in conference play since 2006, when the team finished second to Ivy champion Columbia. The Big Green also has a winning record for the first time since Sept. 18.
Dartmouth will have a busy week of practice in preparation for a demanding weekend. The team will attempt to improve to 3-0 in conference play with a match against Yale (5-3, 1-0 Ivy) at 7 p.m. Friday in New Haven, Conn. The Big Green came up empty against the Bulldogs last year, falling 2-0.
On Sunday, Dartmouth will follow up with a game against the University of New Hampshire (2-9-1, 1-2-0 America East) at 2 p.m. at Burnham Field.
