The Big Green dominated the high-scoring affair in New Haven, Conn., despite the close score. Dartmouth outshot the Bulldogs, 44-22, and scored in every period. Goaltender Lindsay Holdcroft '14 notched 18 saves en route to her second win of the season.
The Bulldogs sprinted to a quick 2-0 lead with two goals just 31 seconds apart, including one with a man advantage. Camille Dumais '13 brought the Dartmouth women back within one with less than four minutes left in the period off assists from Sasha Nanji '13 and Reagan Fischer '12.
The Big Green turned the tide of the game in the second period, scoring twice in the frame. Just under four minutes into the second, Karlee Odland '15 tied the game with her second goal of the season, which was assisted by Jenna Hobeika '12 and Laura Stacey '16. The Dartmouth women took their first lead of the night thanks to the first career goal from Abbie Lund '15. Lisa Berreman '13 passed the puck to Jessica Gagner '13, who found Lund for the goal. The Big Green kept capitalizing on its newfound momentum in the third. Fischer netted her second goal of the campaign off assists from Dumais and Lindsey Allen '16.
Yale freshman Janelle Ferrara could not be stopped in the game, scoring twice in the third to give herself a hat trick and send the game into overtime. In the tightly contested overtime, both teams notched two shots, but the Big Green capitalized with just 1:11 left in the game. Defenseman Morgan Illikainen '15 netted her first career goal to give Dartmouth the victory. Dumais circled around from behind the net and threw it in front, where Illikainen pounded it home.
The Big Green offense cooled off during the game against Brown, but goaltender Katie Milligan '15 was up to the task of recording a shutout for her first win of the season. Statistically, the Big Green once again dominated the first two periods of the game before the Bears picked up their intensity in the third, notching 11 shots in the final frame.
Dartmouth was unable to score in the first despite three power-play opportunities and numerous scoring chances, including a two-on-one chance with Allen and Hobeika. Once again, the second period proved to be decisive for the Big Green, which outshot the Bears, 9-1, in the frame. With just under five minutes left, Dumais was able to break through and score the game's only goal, her third of the season. While on the power play, Nanji took a shot from the slot and Dumais was there to bury the rebound.
The Brown women picked up the pressure in the third, notching eight more shots than the Big Green, but could not break through the Dartmouth defense, even when the Bears pulled their goalie. The Bulldogs and the Bears have been in the basement of the ECAC for the past couple of years but have tested the Big Green and perennial powerhouse Cornell University in the young season.
"Honestly, this year there won't be any blowouts," Dumais said. "Teams are improving and working hard. There are going to be no easy games this year, which is different from when I was a freshman."
Hobeika said that the game against Quinnipiac was a wake-up call for the team after a season-opening victory over Princeton University on Oct. 26. Though Dartmouth won its next three contests, all three were close games because head coach Mark Hudak is still trying to figure out which players to pair together on lines.
"[Quinnipiac is] a really good team and showed us what we need to do to beat other really good teams," Hobeika said. "It really opened our eyes and showed us that we need to work hard and play our systems in order to win."
On Tuesday night, the Big Green women welcomed UNH to Thompson Arena for the team's home opener. In a back-and-forth game, it was once again the second period that proved to be decisive in Granite State battle.
The Wildcats struck first less than three minutes into the game, but Hobeika tied the game with a power-play goal off of assists from Dumais and Odland. Despite dominating the first period, the Big Green could not take the advantage into the intermission.
Just over four minutes into the second, Berreman found Stacey in the circle. The freshman collected the puck and sent it flying just under the crossbar for her first goal of her career. The Big Green could not hold the lead, as UNH tied the game shortly thereafter. Allen's third goal of the season sent the Big Green home as winners about halfway through the second period. Hobeika passed the puck to Stacey, who fed the streaking Allen for the easy goal.
In the third, the Wildcats increased the pressure, but Holdcroft was up to the challenge, turning away all 10 shots she faced in the period for the third consecutive one-goal win. The Big Green will play its second straight game against a Hockey East opponent when the team hosts Boston College on Monday.
