Big Green Hold On for 2-2 Draw with Gaels

Sunday, September 8

Hanover, N.H.

1:00 PM

Dartmouth College

1-1-1, 0-0-0

Saint Mary's

1-2-2, 0-0-0

Saint Mary's (CA)

Dartmouth

Photo by: Rebecca Osowski

9/8/2024 4:45:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Rebecca Osowski

HANOVER, N.H. – The Dartmouth men's soccer program returned to Burnham Field, Sunday for their second of five straight nonconference home matchups. Despite getting out to a quick start and opening a 2-0 lead, the St. Mary's Gaels battled back, scoring two goals in the second half to deal the Big Green their first draw of the season.

With the draw, the Big Green sit at .500 with a 1-1-1 record.

Following the game with FDU on Thursday, Bobby Clark Head Coach of Men's Soccer Bo Oshoniyi said he wanted his team to get out to a quick start. The Big Green did just that, scoring in the third minute.

Kristian Feed took a corner and despite the ball being cleared out of the box, it found him again. He then threw a cross to the far post and right on the head of Sam Fenton who sneaked it by the left post and in.

"That was something that we talked about after the FDU game was making sure we came out and were on the front foot right from the opening whistle and I feel like we were," Oshoniyi said about how important the early goal was. "We did a really good job coming out and opposing our will on St.Mary's in the first half and something we wanted to build on from FDU."

In the 34th minute, the Big Green doubled their lead with a play that once again started with a corner. Phineas Callahan took the corner, sending the ball into the box. While the ball reflected and snuck behind the goalkeeper, St. Mary's cleared the ball off the line but right onto the foot of Trenton Blake who continued his offensive tear with another goal.

The Big Green dominated through the rest of the first half, taking a 2-0 lead into the second half. Despite having little possession, Dartmouth kept the Gaels off the board until the 66^th minute.

Dartmouth goalkeeper Costi Christodoulou came out of his net, racing for the ball, but ultimately picked up a yellow card and awarded the Gaels a penalty kick. The Gaels and Bastian Toelhoej took advantage, cutting the Big Green's lead in half.

The Gaels continued to build momentum, ultimately finding the back of the net again in the 82^nd minute to tie the game.

Pace picked up throughout the remaining time with each team battling for another goal to seal the victory. Dartmouth came so close with just under a minute to play.

A shot from the Ben Jenkins came right at the Gaels goalkeeper who made the save. The rebound though bounced right to Vasilis Moiras who knocked it in, but an offsides call washed away the goal, keeping the game tied at two and sending both teams home with a draw.

The biggest takeaway from Sunday's game, according to Oshoniyi, is managing a game.

"These types of results happen early on in a season because you're still trying to find your footing a bit. It's our third game [of the season]," Oshoniyi said. "Those are going to be things that we continue to grow throughout the season…I was happy for them because they were able to hold on and get a result, but I think they feel like we let one slip away and it's true. We definitely had a chance to win this game and that's the disappointing fact, but I think when we look back on it we will look at it and say 'hey, we found a way to get a result, we need to learn how to manage a game a little bit better so we can win those types of games."

The Big Green's focus will now shift to next Friday when they welcome the UConn Huskies to Burnham Field for a 7 p.m. first touch. To purchase tickets for the game, click here.