The game did not disappoint, as the two teams were tied, 7-7, with under 10 minutes to go, when Dartmouth (9-2, 5-0 Ivy) used two late goals to pull ahead for a 9-7 victory. With the win, Dartmouth seized sole possession of first place in the Ivy League, dropping Penn (6-5, 4-1 Ivy) to second.
Sarah Plumb '12 led the scoring with three goals, and her five draw controls gave her 58 on the season, a new Dartmouth single-season record. With 132 draw controls in her career, Plumb is now three behind Dartmouth's all-time record and nine behind the Ivy League's all-time high. Dartmouth still has three regular season games remaining and the potential for postseason games in the Ivy and NCAA Tournaments.
Plumb said the win was a particularly meaningful one for the senior class.
"In the past three years since I have been here, we have always lost to Penn by a really close margin," Plumb said. "Coming out on top yesterday was a really awesome feeling, and it felt like redemption for the classes ahead of us."
Dana Brisbane '12 said that Saturday's game was pretty similar to most of Dartmouth's recent games against the Quakers but with one key difference.
"It was a really tough fight for the game, typical of all our Penn games the last few years," Brisbane said. "The difference this year was that we knew we could win and had the will to make it happen."
Courtney Bennett '13 kicked off the scoring just 30 seconds into the game, giving Dartmouth the initial lead as well as a boost of confidence and momentum. Another goal from Lindsey Allard '14 came shortly thereafter, upping the Dartmouth lead to two.
Penn found its groove halfway through the first period, and, making up for its late start, scored four unanswered goals for a 4-2 lead.
Dartmouth, however, would not let the Quakers bask in the lead for too long. The Big Green rallied to score three straight goals and take a 5-4 lead before the halftime whistle sounded.
Although Penn started out the second half with a burst of energy that led to a 7-5 lead, it cued the Dartmouth defense to tighten up. The Big Green did not allow a goal in the game's final 25 minutes, setting the stage for a big comeback.
After two scores by Dartmouth to level the game at 7-7, Plumb tipped the scales when she scored what would be the game winner with 8:21 remaining. Liz Calby '14 added an empty-net insurance goal with 1:51 to go.
Goalkeeper Kristen Giovanniello '14 ended the day with four saves.
After the game, seniors Brisbane, Plumb, Georgia Bird '12, Kirsten Goldberg '12, Erin Massimi '12 and Sarah Parks '12 were honored in the senior day ceremonies. Parks was able to return from an injury to play in her first game this season.
Although the victory occurred on a day on which the focus is traditionally on the team's current players, Plumb said the win had a far-reaching impact.
"The best part about yesterday's win was that it was not just about the current players on the team, but it was a win for the program and for our alumni," she said.
Dartmouth's final scheduled game on Scully-Fahey Field will be Monday afternoon in a non-conference matchup against Niagara University.
