Dartmouth (6-4-2, 3-1 Ivy) is now tied with Yale University for second place and trails Cornell University, which has yet to lose a League game. Columbia fell to fifth place in the crowded conference standings.
Both teams came into the game needing a win to stay alive in the contest for the League Championship. Dartmouth played with urgency throughout the match, chasing down defenders, making diving saves and sprinting up the flank.
First-half chances by both teams kept the full crowd at Burnham Field glued to the game, while Dartmouth goalie Noah Cohen '14 and Columbia senior goalie Alex Aurrichio played well, keeping the game scoreless. The Big Green attempted three shots before halftime and the Lions took seven.
Dartmouth created more opportunities on offense after halftime, taking 11 shots while limiting Columbia to just four. In total, nine different Dartmouth players had a look at goal.
Just over 10 minutes into the half, Adam Rice '12 earned a corner kick for the Big Green after being knocked off balance on a header attempt. Kevin Dzierzawski '13 curved the ball to the near post, where teammate Teo Larsson-Sax '13 met the ball with his head and directed it into the top right corner to score in the 57th minute.
For the next 25 minutes, shot after shot missed just wide or flew over the crossbar for Dartmouth. Co-captain Lucky Mkosana '12, Maarten van Ess '12, Stoian Nedelchev '13 and Dzierzawski all had good looks on goal but were unable to score.
Dartmouth was awarded a free kick due to a Columbia handball near the midline with just over 10 minutes left in the game, creating a chance for Pat Murray '14.
"Since it was late in the second half and we were up a goal Nick [Pappas '12] went up to take the kick to stall," Murray said. "He took his time and found Kevin off to the left and played him the ball to run the clock down. Kevin must have seen me back post one v. one with my guy and I beat him to the ball and flicked it in with my head."
Dartmouth led 2-0, and Murray slid in front of the Dartmouth student section, which chanted in jubliation.
Columbia did not retreat after the goal, however, working the ball around the Dartmouth penalty area before the Big Green cleared.
Noah Cohen '14 made one of his four key saves in the game with 90 seconds left, earning his fourth shutout of the year. Throughout the match, Cohen made diving saves, lept into the air to punch the ball off frame and came off his line to extinguish Columbia's offense before it could even get started.
Mkosana said the team stepped up at a crucial time, turning the game around after halftime.
"It was a phenomenal win for us," Mkosana said. "The season was on the line and we came out and played our game. We played not so well in the first half and we really won the game in the second half. At halftime, head coach [Jeff Cook] told us to put the ball behind them, run them off the ball and begin playing together. This plan really worked out for us and we got more chances and the goals we needed."
Murray said the win was especially meaningful in front of "such an awesome atmosphere."
"So many alums came back and people were there to watch," he said. "Football got the win so of course we had to, also. The win has big implications for the rest of the season and we are in a really good spot now if we win out the League to get the championship."
Mkosana said he was "blown away" by the fan support at the game.
"It felt like a professional game, which really helped our mentality," Mkosana said. "Columbia is a hard team to play and they beat us the last two years. I really want to thank the fans for their support. It really made a difference."
The Big Green plays at home against Colgate University on Tuesday evening. The two teams have not faced each other since 2008, when Dartmouth won 2-0.
Murray said he feels confident that Dartmouth's energy from its win against Columbia will roll over to Tuesday's game.
"It can be physically tough for the guys that play a lot to have another game so soon, but hopefully we will have good recovery sessions and have fresh legs and be ready to go," Murray said.
Mkosana said the team must take a levelheaded approach to the rest of the season.
"Harvard is a must-win game as is every game left this season," he said, referring to Dartmouth's game against the Crimson on Saturday. "There is pressure but we try not to think about it. We take every game as it comes and just have to get the wins and play right. We know we are good and need to keep firing as a team."
