Ivy League opener against Dartmouth once again crucial for men's soccer

Remembering the pain of last year's 3-1 loss to Dartmouth on September 23, the men's soccer team is prepared for a tough battle against one of its biggest Ivy League rivals.

Playing in Hanover tomorrow at 1 p.m., the Dartmouth game is the Tigers' (2-0-1) Ivy League opener, and a very important game for momentum going into the season.

So far this season, Princeton has looked good — undefeated at 2-0-1 — but the Tigers know how important this game can be. The situation was the same when the two teams met last year.

"We opened the season 4-0, but then we lost to Dartmouth and that really slowed our momentum," said head coach Jim Barlow '91. "It was a tough loss for us last year."

On paper, Princeton and Dartmouth are very evenly matched teams. Both rely on size and speed, as they each play with a support-oriented offense. Dartmouth has a small sizeadvantage on the Tigers, andthe big Green will try to mak use of it.

A dangerous team because they can score from every position, Dartmouth has no obvious star, leaving Princeton unable to focus solely on one player and spreading the defense. Dartmouth will also have experience on its side after not graduating the core of its 2000 team.

"Dartmouth is a tough team, and they play a very similar game to ours. It will be the kind of game where the winner will be the team who made the fewest mistakes. While their style of play is comparable to ours, there are distinct differences, and we will have to exploit their weaknesses," said Barlow.

While Dartmouth is also undefeated this season (2-0), Princeton has no reason to fear this Ivy League foe. The Tiger defense is as strong as ever. Junior goalie Jason White has played excellently in all three of the games, allowing just one goal.

The only goal was scored by Rutgers on Wednesday night ina 1-1 tie. Given the fact that the Scarlet Knights are one of the top 25 teams in the nation, such a strike is no black mark on White's record.

To hold the Scarlet Knights to just one goal demonstrates that the Tigers' defense has been up to the challenge, but to beat the Big Green, Princeton will need to step up its offense as well. Teams have keyed on senior forward Mike Nugent over the last two games, effectively shutting him down. This has freed freshman forward Adrian Melville for more opportunities, but both will need to contribute in this game and throughout the year to ensure the team's Ivy success.

With those thoughts in mind, the long trip to Dartmouth is low on the list of Princeton's concerns.

"It is tough playing away, but I am not too worried about the different field. I am more worried about the soccer," said Barlow.

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Since a men's soccer team only plays seven games a year in the Ivy League, every game takes on an added significance and a single loss can hurt a team's chances for the title.

Those chances were dashed against the Big Green last year. Whether or not it will happen this year will be decided tomorrow.