Brown Women Nip Dartmouth

Stone's first goal of the year gives Bears win

September 29, 2008

The Dartmouth women's soccer team threw everything it had at Brown Sunday afternoon, but the Bears clamped down defensively for a 1-0 win over the Big Green, their first in 13 years.

The Big Green drops to 4-3, while the Bears improve to 3-3-2. It was the Ivy League opener for both teams.

Dartmouth finished with an 17-11 shot advantage and took 11 corner kicks, including eight in the second half.

It was Brown, however, that found the net in the 47th minute for the game‘s only goal. After a breakaway, Marybeth Lesbirel fired a shot from the left side and Dartmouth keeper Laurel Peak made a diving save. The ball slipped form Peak's grasp and Sylvia Stone was there to clean it up and put away the game-winner for Brown.

Brown came out of the gates fired up and tested Peak early. The Bears had two corner kicks in the first 10 minutes including one that led to an amazing point-blank save by Peak off an attempt by Bridget Ballard.

Dartmouth responded by earning two corners in the 15th minute, but was unable to convert. The Big Green was inches away from the lead in the 32nd minute. Kelsey Quick sent a perfect ball into the box for Myra Sack, who timed her jump and had Brown keeper Brenna Hogue beat, but the header went just high.

A driving rainstorm began just as the second half commenced, creating slippery conditions for the two teams. Dartmouth came out aggressively despite the rain and looked poised for the equalizer.

Dartmouth controlled play for most of the second half, peppering the Bears with corners and free kicks. The Big Green struggled to find the back the net, though, despite filling Brown's goalmouth with white jerseys. Dartmouth's hit the crossbar three times in the last five minutes, epitomizing the heartbreaking game.

"I think we started a bit subdued," said Dartmouth head coach Angie Hind. "Unfortunately we gave up that goal just as we were playing well. Credit to [Brown] though, I thought that was the best I have seen from a Brown side."

After playing seven of their first eight games on the road, including the last six straight, the Bears return home this Wednesday to host Holy Cross in a 7 p.m. contest. The game begins a three-game homestand for Brown, which will play seven of its final nine games at Stevenson Field.

The Big Green has a chance to regroup before its second Ivy game - a date at Princeton next Sunday at 1 p.m. - when it hosts Boston University this Wednesday night at 7.

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