The Power Rankings

So, I'll actually be doing real (ish) power rankings this week. Without further ado, here are the hottest teams at Dartmouth right now.

1. Field hockey If you haven't noticed, field hockey is on a hot streak right now. I'm talking fiery. 1,000-suns hot. Try not to sit near field hockey players in class for fear of third-degree burns. The team just extended its win streak to four games, including a beatdown of Brown as well as the Ivy League record books last week. Against the Bears, Kelly Hood '12 set an Ivy record with five goals in a game. Field hockey is a pretty low-scoring sport, what with all of the unwieldy sticks and people running around bent over and whatnot, and any team is lucky to get five goals in a game. One person scoring five goals is a little ridiculous. Oh, also, Virginia Peisch '11 and Kelly McHenry '11 tied another Ivy League record by notching four assists each. So Brown got three goals, and Dartmouth got three records. That's the definition of domination. The Big Green will look to carry its momentum into a tough game against the University of New Hampshire on Wednesday in Hanover get out there and support Dartmouth's most underrated team.

2. Men's soccer So they dropped a couple of games against some undeserving opponents (I, for one, was not aware that Hartwick College is a thing). The men's soccer team is still lousy with talent on the offensive and defensive sides. The offense has scored 21 goals, while the defense has held opponents to a cumulative total of just nine. The team has also taken an absurd 131 shots, as compared to its opponents' 58. Dartmouth is averaging 14.6 shots a game if the players can improve on their .160 conversion percentage, stats will begin raining down from the sky. Against Princeton this weekend, the team was down 2-1, until it apparently decided that it was time to win, and ripped three goals past Princeton in 12 minutes to win in dominating fashion. With a defense laden with returning starters and an offense that can apparently score at will, look for men's soccer to improve on its No. 18 national ranking very soon.

3. Women's volleyball After a lot of early-season play that included some highly unsuccessful road trips against top national opponents, the women's volleyball team has surged into its Ivy League schedule in style. The team tore up Harvard's defense this weekend to win in straight sets, including a 25-14 first-set win that showcased Dartmouth's depth. The team is led by co-captain Megan MacGregor '10, who had 16 kills and three blocks against the Crimson in what was apparently just another day at the office. Other notable players include Kendall Houston '12, who had 35 assists and a set-winning service ace against Harvard. Houston's laser-guided setting ability has been crucial in setting up MacGregor and the rest of Dartmouth's talented front line to punish opposing defenses. The team also has a depth of talent that will hopefully result in longevity and consistency over the course of the season.

4. Women's soccer The women's soccer team has been quietly compiling quite a resume this season. The team has an overall 5-4 record and is perfect in the Ivy League so far, at 2-0. The team is supported by veteran talent, including seniors Myra Sack '10 and Kelsey Quick '10 up front, Alison Hubbard '10 playing midfield, and Thea Sutton '10 anchoring a strong defensive line. Hubbard is the star of the moment currently, as she knocked in a header in double overtime against Princeton on Saturday to maintain Dartmouth's perfect conference record. Aly O'Dea '12 leads the team with five goals, while five other players have also scored for the Big Green. The experience of this year's team will hopefully help to cure Dartmouth of its sometimes-inconsistent play. Look for good things on the pitch this fall.

I'm leaving the fifth spot open in hopes that the football team will finally be able to get its first victory since I was a sophomore this weekend. The team competed admirably against Penn Saturday, but the game never seemed as close as the 30-24 final score. The team was once again plagued by its terrible habit of giving up huge plays (the game started with a blocked punt that resulted in a Penn touchdown), but there are good signs. It has been harrowing watching Dartmouth almost get it together each game, then fall apart yet again. Here's hoping the team can get it together the fifth spot is theirs if they can finally put a crooked number in the win column.