With an energetic and determined effort, the Dartmouth women's lacrosse team secured a 17-5 victory over Brown University in Hanover on Saturday. The result marked the third consecutive win for the Big Green (6-2, 3-0 Ivy), which has not lost an Ivy League game this season.
Dartmouth broadly dominated the game, leading Brown (5-4, 1-2 Ivy) in ground balls (21-11), shots (39-21) and draw controls (16-8). Co-captain Shannie MacKenzie '11 said the team's success in draws was important in controlling the first half.
"I think that's how we were able to dominate," she said. "That's something we've been working on and haven't been doing so well in other games."
Dartmouth's balanced offensive attack proved too much for Brown. Nine Big Green players scored, and Sarah Plumb '12, Kirsten Goldberg '12 and Courtney Bennett '13 all earned hat tricks.
Greta Meyer '11 also tallied her 100th career goal in the matchup. Meyer became the second Dartmouth player to reach the milestone this season, after co-captain Kat Collins '11 scored her 100th career goal against the University of Oregon on March 23.
Bennett began the game with two free-position scores, giving Dartmouth a 2-0 lead and setting the team's tone. Although Brown senior Paris Waterman answered with two goals of her own, the Big Green proceeded to crush the Bears' comeback attempt with a 10-minute, six-goal rampage.
Plumb and Goldberg each scored an unassisted goal to take a 4-2 lead, before Goldberg assisted Liz Calby '14 for her first goal of the game at 12:09.
The next three goals all resulted from well-executed assists, with Sarah Parks '12 scoring off Collins, Hana Bowers '13 off Meyer, and Calby off Bennett.
Brown narrowed an 8-2 deficit by scoring two free-position goals just 38 seconds apart, but Dartmouth countered in the half's final two minutes with three free-position goals from Meyer Plumb and Goldberg.
MacKenzie said head coach Amy Patton encouraged players during the halftime break to come out strong and immediately put the game away. The Big Green responded by scoring six unanswered goals.
After Plumb scored off of a pass from Collins, Kelsey Johnson '13 earned her first career goal on a free position after causing a Brown turnover, cradling the ball all the way into the offensive half and getting fouled.
Shortly thereafter, Goldberg went on to score her third goal while Collins scored her first, after facing a double-team defense for the entire game. Plumb and Bennett each chipped in to bring the score to 17-4 at the 10-minute mark.
Brown was able to end on a positive note with a final goal from junior Julia Keller, assisted by junior Kaela McGilloway. Although McGilloway is Brown's leading goal scorer, MacKenzie's remarkable defensive efforts held her to the one assist.
Dartmouth displayed good energy on the field, communicating well and effectively working together.
MacKenzie said one of Patton's goals for the team was to fight for ground balls and 50-50 balls in groups, and MacKenzie said she believes players achieved the goal.
"Any time the ball was down, we had three of our players compared to one of theirs going after it," MacKenzie said.
She added that the players appreciated the large fan support at the game and used it to maintain their own energy on the field.
Dartmouth plays Syracuse University on Monday in Hanover. Syracuse (3-5, 1-0 Big East) ranked 14th in the nation is a more formidable opponent than Brown, and the Orange will seek revenge after suffering a 17-10 loss to Dartmouth last season.
The game is pivotal for the Big Green's ranking, with a win likely to significantly improve the team's position.
MacKenzie said the team is confident as it approaches the game.
"The offense has exploded in our past two games our coach says we've woken a sleeping giant and now it seems like we're running on all cylinders," she said.
