Field Hockey Overcomes Early Deficit to Beat Providence, 3-1

Monday, October 10

Hanover, N.H.

3:00 PM

Dartmouth College

PROVIDENCE

Field Hockey Overcomes Early Deficit to Beat Providence, 3-1

10/10/2011 5:49:00 PM | Field Hockey

By: Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H. - Overcoming deficits to earn a victory is nothing new this season for the Dartmouth field hockey team. The Big Green were once again forced to call upon their uncanny ability to come from behind Monday afternoon to beat Providence, 3-1, in a nonconference matchup at Chase AstroTurf Field.

Dartmouth (8-4) controlled the play for much of the game, but fell behind, 1-0, just over 21 minutes in as the Friars' (3-10) Daniella Bernasconi collected her own rebound and slipped a low shot into the far left corner past the sprawling Big Green goalkeeper, senior Meagan Vakiener (Port Murray, N.J.) for the opening tally.

That's when the Big Green began to chip away where it mattered: the scoreboard.

Senior Meghan Everett (Flemington, N.J.) tied the game with 1:27 remaining in the first half, deflecting a pass through the low circle from junior Lisa Masini (Ann Arbor, Mich.). The assist was Masini's 13th of the 2011 season, continuing to build on her Ivy League-leading total. The goal was Everett's seventh of the year.

With the score still tied nearly 13 minutes into the second frame, freshman Ali Savage (Orange, New South Wales, Australia) scored the eventual game winner. Savage received a pass from Everett near the goalmouth after Dartmouth had lined up to take a penalty corner, knocking home the centering feed to give the Big Green the lead, 2-1.

Everett's assist on the Savage goal was the first of the season for the senior forward.

Physical play and several rushes by Providence littered the final 10 minutes of the game, but a Dartmouth counter attack in the waning moments allowed sophomore Sam Anderson (Wilton, Conn.) to pick up her first goal of the season as time expired.

Anderson's goal made it a 3-1 final as the Big Green wrapped up a strong offensive showing on the day. The Big Green outshot the Friars, 26-9, in the game, posting 13 shots in each half.

Savage collected her third assist of the season on the game's final tally, pushing the ball across to Anderson.

Despite not capitalizing on one outright, Dartmouth held a distinct advantage in penalty corners in the contest, 10-3.

Vakiener turned aside three Providence shots in earing her eighth win of the season, while Providence keeper Shannon DiStefano stopped nine as she was peppered by the relentless Dartmouth attack.

The Big Green will now turn their focus to Yale in a game that will be played Saturday in New Haven, Conn. The next home game for Dartmouth is against Columbia on Saturday, Oct. 22 at noon as part of Homecoming Weekend.