The men’s soccer team edged past Princeton University 2-1 on Saturday with a set piece connection in extra time between Matt Danilack ’18 and Gabe Hoffman-Johnson ’14. The Big Green (5-2-1, 1-0-0 Ivy) opened its Ivy League schedule with an important road win, the team’s first Ivy-opening win since 2011 when players earned a share of the conference title. The game marked the Big Green’s third straight win.
Dartmouth has rolled through the opposition recently, tallying five wins and a tie in its last six games. This streak is the Big Green’s best since the 2010 season, when Dartmouth strung together six straight wins en route to the final 16 of the NCAA tournament.
In the 93rd minute, Matt Danilack headed the ball into the back of the net to give Dartmouth the golden goal victory after the team controlled most of the ball game. Matt Danilack’s goal was his third of the season, tops among the Big Green.
“It’s a great feeling,” Danilack said. “Overall, a great team win against Princeton who we haven’t beaten in 12 years.”
Danilack’s older brother, Hugh Danilack ’15, also plays for the Big Green. Matt credited their closeness for some of his success.
“It’s a lot of fun to play with my brother, we played together in high school,” [Matt] Danilack said. “He’ll be gone next year and we’ll miss him, but, for now, it’s a lot of fun.”
The Big Green has a well-balanced attack, with 10 different players scoring and no player notching more than three goals yet this year. 2010 was the last season where the Big Green had more unique scorers. The balanced approach also presents a marked contrast from past seasons when the Dartmouth scoring attack was fronted mostly by one star attacker, Alex Adelabu ’15 over the past two seasons and Lucky Mkosana ’12 the season before that.
“We played a little too defensively in the second half,” said senior defender and co-captain Hugh Danilack ’15.
The Big Green outshot the Tigers (3-3-2, 0-1 Ivy) 15-11 for the game, but Princeton’s junior goalie Ben Hummel turned Dartmouth away all but once in regulation. Hummel’s six saves were the third most of his career.
The team’s win in its Ancient Eight opener was its first win at Princeton’s Myslik Field since 2002.
Though Dartmouth faced a 10-4 deficit in corner kicks, the team’s only allowed goal in the game was a penalty kick by Princeton’s Cameron Porter in the 64th minute. Porter, a senior striker for the Tigers, leads the team in goals with five in the team’s eight games.
The Big Green was penalized for fouling Porter in the box following a Tiger corner kick. Despite the barrage of corner kicks, the Tigers only managed to notch three shots on goal, two of which Dartmouth’s goalie Stefan Cleveland ’16 turned away. Cleveland has only allowed more than one goal twice this season.
The Big Green took the lead early in the 13th minute with a break finished by Colin Heffron ’15. Heffron’s goal from 22 yards out was his second tally of the season, one behind his three goals last season.
The team looks to extend its six-game unbeaten streak against Central Connecticut State University at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Burnham Field.
