Dartmouth Men Romp in Opener

Green Score 7 Against St. Peter's

September 5, 2009

HANOVER, N.H. - The 10th ranked Dartmouth men’s soccer team opened the 2009 season with a 7-0 romp over St. Peter’s in front of a boisterous crowd at Burnham Field.

Six different Dartmouth players scored goals and five had assists in the shutout of the Peacocks (0-2). St. Peter’s mustered just one shot in the game, an attempt saved by junior goalkeeper Lyman Missimer in his first career start and shutout.

Daniel Keat

Dartmouth's Daniel Keat scored two goals Friday against St. Peter's. (Photo courtesy of Dartmouth Athletics/John Risley)

Rookie Kevin Dzierzawski recorded five points off the bench in his first career game to lead the team while Daniel Keat (Wellington, New Zealand) tallied two goals.

Just 3:26 into the game, Dartmouth drew a penalty kick off a handball in the box. In his first game back from an injury that cost him the 2008 season, Keat stepped up and buried the PK to the left corner for a 1-0 Big Green lead. St. Peter’s managed to withstand the Dartmouth barrage until the 23rd minute when Keat struck again, this time with a header off a cross from Aaron Gaide (Avon, Conn.).

Just over a minute later, Craig Henderson connected with a header of his own off a free kick by Andrew Olsen (Norwell, Mass.) for the 3-0 at 24:15. Peacocks keeper Carlos Suarez kept his team in it with five first half saves but Dartmouth struck again just before the halftime whistle. Dzierzawski and Henderson played the ball into the box for Lucky Mkosana, who popped one in with a back-heel for the 4-0 lead at 44:40.

The teams opened the second half in a midfield battle but St. Peter’s was soon down to 10 men after a red card was issued. St. Peter’s had its only real threat of the half in the 60th minute with a long free kick but Missimer leapt to snag it out of the air in traffic in the goalmouth.

Dartmouth got on the board again in the 65th minute when rookie Brad Jacobsen scored his first career goal off a rebound from a shot by Dzierzawski, putting the Green up 5-0. After assisting his teammates twice, Dzierzawski got in on the scoring himself with a point-blank rocket from the left side off passes from fellow freshman Justin Ciambella and sophomore Maarten van Ess (Marlborough, Mass.) in the 76th minute.

Just over two minutes later, Dzierzawski sent in a corner kick that sophomore defender Nick Pappas converted from the left side for his first career goal and a 7-0 lead at 77:42.

For the Big Green, 21 players saw action in the victory. Dartmouth is back in action Sunday when it hosts Northeastern at 3 p.m. at Burnham Field.

Dartmouth women also off to good start

Six different players earned a point as the Dartmouth women’s soccer team also won its season opener, 3-1 win over Maine (1-2) at Burnham Field. Senior midfielder Myra Sack scored the first goal of the season for the Big Green while junior Peyton Tata hammered the game-winner.

Sophomore keeper Colleen Hogan earned her first career win in her first collegiate start with two saves in goal.

Dartmouth came out firing on all cylinders, pressuring Maine’s defense and freshman goalkeeper Meagan Price-Leibenzeder from the start. The Green’s pressure paid off when senior Kelsey Quick sent in a nice cross for Sack, who powered the ball into the top left corner, putting Dartmouth ahead 1-0 in the 27th minute.

Maine regrouped after the Dartmouth goal and had the Big Green on its heels. The Black Bears drew a free kick about 25 yards out on the left side and Kelsey Wilson (Gorham, Maine) sent a rocket into the box. Laura Martel (Lewiston, Maine) capitalized on a goalmouth scramble and beat Hogan with a high header in the corner. Dartmouth withstood more pressure from the Black Bears following their goal but the teams battled hard in both ends.

Dartmouth’s Grace Best wasted little time getting involved in her first collegiate game. In the 40th minute, she pulled Price-Leibenzeder out of the goal and into a one-on-one battle. She managed to win the ball and deflect it toward a waiting Tata to her left. Tata patiently held off her defender and controlled the ball before firing an arcing shot off her left foot and over the head of the retreating keeper to make it 2-1 Big Green in the 40th minute.

Dartmouth picked up an insurance goal in the 73rd minute when junior back Melisa Krnjaic sent a booming free kick into the box from the right side. Aly O’Dea connected and put the ball in the left corner for a 3-1 Dartmouth lead. The Big Green held off the Black Bears for the remainder of the contest, including an impressive challenge by senior back Thea Sutton, who tracked down Martel and pushed her off the ball to thwart a breakaway for the Bears.

Véronique Fleury played well for Maine as she notched two shots while Price-Leibenzeder made three saves for the Black Bears, who return to action Sunday at 1 p.m. when they host Iona in their home opener at Alumni Field.

It’s also a quick turnaround for Dartmouth before San Diego State comes to town for an 11 a.m. matchup Sunday at Burnham Field.