Dartmouth, Harvard Battle It Out

Women Tie; Big Green Take Men's Game

November 2, 2008

HANOVER, N.H. – Longtime Ivy League foes Dartmouth and Harvard hooked up this week, with the Dartmouth men taking away a physical 1-0 victory and the two women’s sides ending in a 1-1 draw.

The loss was the first in the conference for the No. 17 Harvard men (9-4, 4-1 Ivy). For the second-straight week, freshman Maarten van Ess (Marlborough, Mass.) came up big for Dartmouth (8-5-1, 3-1-1), this time scoring the winner in the 76th minute of the game.

Senior Craig Henderson nearly broke the stalemate in the 35th minute when he fired from 25 yards out and had Harms beat high, but hit the crossbar. The Crimson finally got its first shot on goal of the day five minutes later when Luke Sagar headed the ball in off a long throw-in by Dillon O'Neill but Dartmouth keeper Sean Milligan (Westport, Conn.) was right there to snag it.

Sean Milligan

Sean Milligan made four saves in a shutout win. (Photo courtesy: Dartmouth Athletics)

Harvard All-American Andre Akpan finally got a shot off in the 58th minute but it was off balance thanks to pressure by Dartmouth center back Donnie Surdoval, who also blocked the shot.

Dartmouth finally broke through at 76:40 when van Ess converted the eventual game-winner. Henderson sent the ball in for van Ess who fired a high shot from the right side. Crimson ‘keeper Austin Harms actually got a hand on it but did not punch it high enough and it looped over his head and in.

Akpan had Harvard's sideline on its feet when he ran into the box but tripped up and collided with a surging Milligan. He tried to get a shot off but Milligan collected the ball and cleared it with a booming punt. He nearly tied things up again in the final minute of play but he missed high on a wide open shot from the top of the box.

Dartmouth controlled the ball in the final 30 seconds and held on for the win. The Big Green had an 11-8 shot advantage for the game while Milligan made four saves for the shutout to Harms' three.

In the women’s game, Kelsey Quick scored in the first half for Dartmouth and Katherine Sheeleigh scored late in the second half for Harvard in the 1-1 tie.

With the draw, the No. 25 Crimson (9-3-4, 4-1-1 Ivy) retain first place in the conference. The Big Green, meanwhile, move to 7-6-2 and 1-4-1.

At 36:12, Quick brought the ball into the Crimson zone and moved it into the box. The Harvard defense could not clear it, and the ball bounced into the cage, giving Dartmouth a 1-0 advantage.

With 5:30 remaining in the half, Harvard’s Hana Taiji got a pass through to Nicole Rhodes, who chipped the ball over a diving Laurel Peak. The ball stopped just short of the goal line and the Dartmouth defense was able to clear it away. Less than a minute later, Melanie Baskind weaved her way around a defender and booted a shot, but Peak made a tip save with one-arm extended to deflect the ball over the net.

With 35:08 left to play, Sack threaded a pass to Peyton Tata in the Crimson box. Lauren Mann, who came in as the Harvard goalkeeper at halftime, took away the angle, but Tata’s shot hit the far post and Mann fell on the rebound to deny Tata a second opportunity. At 66:43, Harvard drew a foul, creating a free kick. Sheeleigh took the kick and tried to bend the ball around the wall of Big Green defenders, but her attempt came up just short to the right.

Sheeleigh got another opportunity with 17:46 left to play and capitalized on a 1-on-1 chance with Leak. Baskind had collected the ball along the right side and moved through two defenders before making a long pass to Sheeleigh. Sheeleigh remained onside and blasted a hard shot with her right foot into the lower left corner to knot the game.

Laura Dale and Mann each made four saves for the Crimson, while Peak had 11 for the Big Green.

Return from Dartmouth, Harvard Battle It Out to College Soccer

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