The Big Green scored all three goals against Union (7-14-3, 0-9-3 ECAC) in the first period, with the first two from co-captain Reagan Fischer '12, 14 minutes and 16 minutes in, respectively. Co-captain Jenna Hobeika '12 assisted by Camille Dumais '13 notched the final goal of the night with 2:59 remaining in the period.
Goaltender Lindsay Holdcroft '14 was key to the Big Green's shutout. While the Dutchwomen had the chance to score on a number of occasions, Holdcroft held them off and psyched the team up. She stopped a total of 16 shots in Friday's game. This game marked Holdcroft's 11th win of the season.
While the Big Green's defense was good throughout the game, their offense could not keep the pressure on after the first period.
Ailish Forfar '16 said that the team's complacent win on Friday foreshadowed the tie with RPI (6-15-3, 4-7-1 ECAC) the following day.
"The way you play Friday is a good indicator of the way you will play the next game," Forfar said.
Although the Big Green is happy with its Friday win, the team did not play to its potential, Hobeika said.
Mirroring Friday's game, the Big Green took the lead in the first period against the Engineers with one goal from defenseman Sasha Nanji '13 and one from forward Sally Komarek '13. The Big Green had a total of 12 shots on the goal in the first period while RPI had only four.
The second period was uneventful, but the third period further slowed the team's momentum.
The Engineers tied the score with the first goal on a power play by sophomore Eleeza Cox and the second by freshman Jenn Godin.
The Engineers dominated the period on offense, taking 10 shots on goal while the Big Green only took 3. Midway through the period the Big Green had a two-player advantage, but failed to take advantage of the opportunity to recapture the lead.
Throughout the game the Big Green received 10 penalties a season high. They cost the Big Green eight minutes down a player, which was especially draining so late in the game. RPI had only seven total penalties during play.
Head coach Mark Hudak said that the third period was very undisciplined and highlighted how the team was not living up to its full potential.
"[It was] one of those games where we gave away the win," he said.
While the team did not give up, they did not anticipate that the Engineers would make comeback, Forfar said.
All was not lost as the Big Green entered overtime, but they failed to take any shots on goal and catch up to RPI, who managed two shots on the Big Green's goal during overtime play.
"I just don't think we got a lot of quality opportunities," Forfar said.
Team members agreed that the unsatisfactory weekend was self-inflicted, and that they will address problem areas this week.
"We need to practice the way we're going to play," Hudak said.
Hudak said that the team must emphasize detail-oriented play and commit to their game plan, especially in response to the third period of the game against RPI.
"One tie shouldn't really set us back," Forfar said. "You always want to be moving forward."
Current ECAC standings remain fiercely contested.
At number six, the Big Green has 16 conference points, while the number one team, Harvard University, has 26. The second and third-place teams Cornell University and Clarkson University, respectively both have 20 points.
Dartmouth enters the weekend hoping to win clinch wins against St. Lawrence University on Friday and Clarkson (18-6, 10-2 ECAC) on Saturday at 3 p.m. on the road.
If they win both games, the Big Green women will rise to second place in the conference.
"If we play our game the way [I know] we can, we'll come out on top," Forfar said.
