Women's Lacrosse Set for Ivy League Tournament - Ticket, Multimedia Information

Dartmouth - Cornell Ivy Semifinal Game Notes (PDF)

Ivy League Tournament Central - Source for all information regarding the tournament, including ticketing and directions

The #11 Dartmouth women's lacrosse team begins its second season this weekend, heading to Philadelphia and Penn's Franklin Field as the number two seed in the inaugural Ivy League Tournament, taking on Cornell in Friday's semifinal.

Ivy League Tournament:
Semifinals: Friday, April 30 • #2 Dartmouth vs. #3 Cornell, 4 p.m.; #1 Penn vs. #4 Princeton, 7 p.m.
Finals: Satuday, May 2, 12:30 p.m.

Video Streaming: Live video with audio will be offered for the semifinals via LiveSportsVideo.com That link will take you directly to the sign-up page. Single game subscriptions are available starting at $4.95 and both semifinal games can be viewed for $7.95.

Television: The championship game will be broadcast live on CBS College Sports Television. In the Dartmouth area, CBS College Sports is channel 175 with the Digital Classic Service. Check with your local cable provider for channel listings. Due to the television broadcast, the championship game will not be streamed online.

Live Statistics: Live stats will be offered free via Penn's athletic website, PennAthletics.com

Ticket Information: 215-898-6151, Open Monday-Friday, 10-5 and will be open through the event times on Friday. Click here for online ticketing, with all-session or single session packages available

Game 14: #11 Dartmouth (10-3, 5-2 Ivy) vs Cornell (5-8, 4-3 Ivy)
Date: Friday, April 30, 2010 • 4:00 PM
Location: Philadelphia, Pa. • Franklin Field (Univ. of Pennsylvania)
Multimedia:
Live Stats (Free)
Live Video ($$)

Dartmouth - Cornell Series: Darmouth leads, 26-5
Last Meeting: 4/10/10 • Ithaca, N.Y.
Result: Dartmouth 9 - Cornell 6
Streak: Dartmouth +2
Dartmouth has taken the last two meetings from Cornell, including one on the road earlier this season, 9-6, for the Big Green's first win in Ithaca since 2004. The Big Green won 10 straight in the series from 1992-2001, then three more unanswered from 2003-05, before Cornell took a win in Ithaca in 2006.

IVY TOURNAMENT TIME
In a huge break from the tradition, the Ivy League is hosting a postseason tournament for the first time ever this season. The first place team, Penn, is still the Ivy League Champion and hosts the inaugural event, as the top four squads in the Ancient Eight descend upon Franklin Field this weekend. Unlike in years' past, however, the Ivy Tournament winner will receive the league's NCAA Tournament auto-bid. It was a battle until the final minute — and then some — to determine the tournament field. Princeton's upset win of Dartmouth in overtime was the Tiger's only chance to make the field, knocking a waiting Harvard squad out of contention. Princeton and Cornell both had 4-3 records, but the Big Red earned the three-seed by virtue of its win over the Tigers earlier this season.
The city of brotherly love will be host to some exciting rivalries and rematches starting on Friday with #11 Dartmouth (2 seed) taking on Cornell (3) in the first semifinal at 4 p.m. followed by host #6 Penn (1) taking on Princeton (4) at 7 p.m. The winners advance to the final on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

TIGER TRAPPED
#7 Dartmouth took a tough loss at Princeton, 11-10 in overtime this past Sunday. The loss put a bit of a dent in the Big Green's NCAA at-large hopes, making this weekend's Ivy Tournament all the more important. Princeton absolutely needed to win its game against Dartmouth in order to earn a bid to the Ivy Tournament, and a 14-save effort by Erin Tochihara helped ensure a Tiger comeback victory. After a sharp first half, the Big Green was up 7-3 at halftime thanks to two goals each by Erin Massimi, Greta Meyer and Hilary Smith. Princeton quickly scored two second half goals, but trading scores still led to a 9-6 Dartmouth lead at 13:22. Princeton rallied late, scoring three unanswered goals in a six minute span to tie the game, and though Kirsten Goldberg put Dartmouth up 10-9 with 2:26 to play, Barb Previ scored with under a minute left to force overtime. It was Tochihara again in overtime, making three saves in the extra period, allowing her team to ultimately score the winning goal with just one second left on the clock.

MAGNIFICENT SEVEN NAMED ALL-IVY
Dartmouth saw the first rewards of its impressive season today when a league-best seven student-athletes were named All-Ivy, featuring a trio of first team honorees.
The selections are headlined by junior attack Greta Meyer's unanimous spot on the All-Ivy first team, her third straight All-Ivy nod. Senior goalie Julie Wadland is a repeat selection to the All-Ivy first team while junior defender Shannie MacKenzie makes an impressive All-Ivy debut as a member of the first team. Do-everything sophomore middie Sarah Plumb was named to the All-Ivy second team as was senior defender Colleen Olsen, earning her second straight selection despite missing three recent games. Two sophomore scorers rounded out the All-Ivy group as attack Sarah Parks and midfielder Kirsten Goldberg earned honorable mention status.

DARTMOUTH HALTS HARVARD RALLY
#7 Dartmouth used a 7-1 run spanning both halves to help put away an upset-minded Harvard squad this past Wednesday in Cambridge, 11-9. After a back-and-forth start led to a 3-3 tie, the Crimson rallied for two unanswered goals to go up 5-3 with 10:39 to play. The Big Green used one of its typical big runs, scoring four goals in a five minute span when its sophomore trio kicked it into high gear. Kirsten Goldberg struck twice and Sarah Plumb and Sarah Parks each scored once to put Dartmouth ahead 7-5, though Harvard broke up the run with a goal before the half. The Big Green kept the pressure on in the second, however, opening up with three straight goals in the first five minutes, with Hana Bowers, Parks and Greta Meyer all scoring to go ahead 10-6. Harvard made things interesting with a 3-0 run of its own, but Julie Wadland made five second half saves to keep the Crimson from getting any closer and Bowers scored a late insurance goal for the 11-9 final.

A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE ON THE LOSS
The 11-10 overtime loss to Princeton was both the Big Green's first overtime game and its first loss when leading at halftime, having held a 7-3 lead against the Tigers. The 11 goals given up to Princeton were the most for Dartmouth this spring, having previously allowed 10 goals to Boston University and Syracuse — both victories for the Big Green. Ultimately, the Big Green's three losses this season have come by a combined five goals. Its only two “bad losses” on the NCAA Tournament resume are both by one goal on the road.

WELCOME BACK COLLEEN
Senior defender Colleen Olsen returned to the lineup at Princeton after missing three straight games including Cornell, Penn and Harvard with an injury. Though her return did not make for a Big Green victory, the All-Ivy defender tallied five ground balls and two caused turnovers. While Dartmouth won two of three games without Olsen, a US National Developmental Team player, it gave up an uncharacteristic nine goals to Penn and Harvard. Dartmouth did defeat Cornell on the road, 9-6, without Olsen.

SCORING STREAKS
Two Dartmouth attackers have point streaks that date back to last season. Junior Greta Meyer has tallied a goal or an assist in all 13 games this season and her total streak is 19 games with a point. Sophomore Sarah Parks has also scored in every game this season and has a 17-game streak.

A HIT IN THE POLLS
After sitting at a season-high seventh in the IWLCA Coaches poll for the past two weeks, Dartmouth dropped to 11th this week following its loss to unranked Princeton. The top-10 ranking previously was the first since early in the 2007 campaign. Four Dartmouth opponents are ranked this week, with two others receiving votes. Next weekend, the Big Green has another chance for a marquee win when it heads to newly minted #1 Maryland next Saturday.

MEYER & WADLAND ARE TEWAARATON WORTHY
Dartmouth has had two players named Tewaaraton Award nominees — junior Greta Meyer and senior Julie Wadland, also a 2009 nominee. Recognized as the nation's pre-eminent lacrosse award, the Tewaaraton is presented to the top female and male collegiate lacrosse players in the United States.
Wadland, a senior goalie, is no stranger to these accolades, having been one of 23 national nominees for the 2009 Tewaaraton. One of just three goalies on the list, Wadland currently sports the nation's fourth-best goals against average at 7.21, and has a team-high 33 ground balls after earning All-Ivy first team accolades in 2009. Meyer, a junior midfielder, is having her finest season yet in a Dartmouth uniform. She leads the team in scoring with 52 points, goals with 30 and assists with 22.
Meyer and Wadland are among a list of 25 nominees that will be pared down to five finalists. They are joined by just one other Ivy Leaguer, Penn's Ali DeLuca, and Dartmouth is one of just seven schools with multiple nominees.

BIG GUNS HOLSTERED
Dartmouth's league-leading 12.86 goals scored per game has been a team effort, but even more remarkable considering the talent that has spent much of the season on the sideline. Game-changing attackers Kat Collins and Eliza Bennett, towering at 5-11 and 5-10, respectively, have been missing links. Senior co-captain Bennett has missed the entire season with injury while Collins, who led the Ivy League in scoring last season as a sophomore, has not played since an injury suffered at Syracuse on March 24.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER
... Don't always flock together. Dartmouth sophomore defender Georgia Bird, who has started 10 of 11 games played this season, is the third Bird sister to play Ivy League lacrosse. There's quite a bit of sibling rivalry, however, as Courtney Bird played at Princeton from 2005-08 and Samantha Bird played at Penn from 2006-09. Fittingly, the three Birds played three different positions for their trio of Ivy teams. A midfielder, Courtney played in 32 games scoring 10 points and won an Ivy Championship. An attacker at Penn, Samantha played 45 career games with 19 starts, including 17 starts in 18 appearances as a senior on the final four team in 2009. She won three Ivy titles and tallied 29 career points.

MAYBE A TIGER CAN CHANGE ITS STRIPES
Sophomore Kirsten Goldberg tests her siblings' allegiance when Dartmouth plays Princeton, as older sister Ingrid Goldberg and older brother Zack Goldberg both played lacrosse for the Tigers. Ingrid had a memorable career from 2002-05, winning three Ivy titles and two NCAA championships, tallying 70 career points and earning Al-Ivy honors. Zack played for Princeton from 2005-08, appearing in 55 games and recording 19 points. Kirsten has missed just one game in her two years at Dartmouth, and is the Big Green's fourth leading scorer this year with 24 points including 22 goals.

RPI ROUNDUP
The second NCAA RPI ratings have Dartmouth seated at 15th in the nation, fair position for NCAA Tournament selection. Laxpower.com's power ratings rank the Big Green at 12th in the nation, ahead of Notre Dame, Syracuse and Georgetown, who the NCAA has above Dartmouth. Those ratings give bonus points for scoring margin as well as game sites, with Dartmouth's two wins over top-10 teams coming the road.

HIT THE ROAD JACK
Dartmouth is in the midst of a grueling three-week stretch of the season, making three-straight trips to the Mid-Atlantic. The road swing started at Harvard on April 21, continued at Princeton the the 25th and the Ivy Tournament at Penn on April 30 - May 2 sends Dartmouth right back down to Philadelphia. Following that, the Big Green heads to Maryland to close out the regular season on May 8.

WATCH OUT FOR SNIPERS
As a team, Dartmouth shoots an impressive 48.4 percent, but Sarah Parks and Greta Meyer stand out from the crowd with some staggering numbers. Parks has been absolutely deadly in front of the goal this spring, scoring 29 goals on just 38 shots for a sizzling 76.3 shooting percentage, which leads the nation. Even more impressively, just two of her goals have come off free position shots, with four attempts total. Meyer is hot in her own right, shooting 57.7 percent, scoring 30 goals on 52 shots.

YOUTH MOVEMENT
Dartmouth had an exceptionally young lineup in both 2008 and 2009 and returned 11 starters for this season. Yet the Big Green remains a bit green now in 2010, with just two seniors starting on a regular basis. Dartmouth's lineup is generally more than half sophomores and freshmen. At Harvard, Coach Patton had just three juniors and seniors on the field, and three freshmen were in the starting lineup.
Rookie Courtney Bennett made just her second career start at Harvard, coming through with two draw controls, two ground balls and a caused turnover. Kelsey Johnson has started all but one game on defense, with 20 ground balls to date and Hana Bowers has started the last six games on attack and has 14 points on the season.

SHARING THE WEALTH
Dartmouth routinely has seven to eight players recording a point in games. Overall, Dartmouth has scored 164 goals this season, 33 off of free positions. Of the 131 goals scored during the course of game play, Dartmouth has assisted on 77 of those, or 58.7 percent of goals coming assisted.

Schedules