The Big Green men's and women's soccer teams both bounced back from early losses to earn their first victories of the season. The women's team currently holds a 1-3-0 record, and the men's team stands at 1-1-2.
Over Labor Day weekend, the women traveled to Texas to open the season against Texas A&M University and the University of Texas. The Aggies proved to be stiff competition for the Big Green and won the game 3-0.
Rookie goalie Tatiana Saunders '15 made eight saves in her collegiate debut. Despite a strong showing from the goalbox, Texas A&M was able to score after 29 minutes of play and twice more two minutes into the second half.
In Austin, the Longhorns defeated the Big Green, 2-0, and dealt the team its second loss of the season. Although both teams had many good looks at the goal, the game remained scoreless for almost the entire first half.
Ally Dutton '12 attempted the first goal of the game two minutes into play but was unable to capitalize on her shot. Texas slotted the ball in the net right before halftime to take a 1-0 lead going into the break. Saunders kept the Big Green in the game with four saves, but the offense struggled to tie up the game. The Longhorns secured the win with a second goal in the 84th minute.
Back home in Hanover, the Big Green notched its first victory against the University of Vermont on Sept. 8. Following a defensive battle in the first half, both teams came back hungry for a goal after the break.
Vermont scored the first goal of the contest in the 60th minute, but the Big Green responded immediately and evened out the tally two minutes later when Tasha Wilkins '15 scored her first collegiate goal.
Dartmouth locked up the win off a pass from Marina Moschitto '14 to teammate Chrissy Lozier '14, whose shot deflected off of the crossbar and into the goal.
In a disappointing Sept. 11 overtime loss to Rutgers University, the Scarlet Knights took the win with a penalty kick. Scoreless for 90 minutes, both teams battled in an evenly-matched game but were unable to get the go-ahead goal in regulation, with Saunders making many important stops late in the game.
The Big Green men opened the season with a scoreless double overtime thriller against The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., on Sept. 2. Lucky Mkosana '12 led Dartmouth's offense, tallying six of the team's 14 shots.
Goalie Noah Cohen '15 earned his first collegiate shutout, making four critical saves to keep the score even. None of Dartmouth's five overtime shots made it past the Crusader's goalkeeper.
No. 25 Boston College proved to be tough competition for the men in the season's home opener in Hanover on Sept. 4. Boston College netted a goal in each half to take home the 2-0 win. Cohen grabbed two saves in his first game on Burnham Field.
Mkosana said the freshmen have already shown they can contribute various skillsets to the team this season.
"They are super and look pretty good," he said. "Some of them have been starting in our last three games. We lost a lot of seniors but this year's team has good depth."
The men finally put all of the pieces together and came out with a win in the first game of the annual Dartmouth Classic. The Big Green topped University of South Carolina, 2-0, on Sept. 9.
The excitement started from the first whistle as Mkosana rocketed a shot that was then deflected to Alex Adelabu's feet. Adelabu finished the rebound from close to the goal line 41 seconds into the game, taking the early lead.
Mkosana gained his first goal of the season by taking advantage of a South Carolina defensive mistake in the 10th minute.
Cohen achieved his second shutout of the season, making two saves in the game.
Mkosana said that good conditioning has played a large role in the team's early success.
"We all followed a workout plan since last season ended," he said. "Preseason is only two weeks, so you have to come in shape or you are too far behind. A few players also played on teams this summer. I played in Michigan."
In the final game of the Dartmouth Classic, the Big Green tied the University of Central Florida, 3-3, on Sept. 11.
The women head down to Boston College for a game on Wednesday, while the men travel to Texas for the Southern Methodist University Invitational next weekend.
