Women's soccer to defend No. 11 ranking against Dartmouth

Returning as underdogs no more, No. 11 women's soccer (6-1 overall, 1-0 Ivy League) will once again feel the warm embrace of Lourie-Love Field this Saturday, as they host the Dartmouth Big Green (4-2-2, 1-0-0) at 1 p.m. for the team's first home game in almost a month.

The Tigers are in the midst of a breakout season, in which they have emerged as a dark horse on the national playing field. In the most recent poll, released Tuesday, Princeton jumped six spots based on two more shutouts recorded last weekend — a style of victory that seems to have become all but routine for the team.

The first item on the menu was then-No. 23 Yale (5-3, 0-1) on Friday, which the Tigers handily digested thanks to an absolutely dominating second half, eventually winning the game 3-0 while outshooting the Eli's by a count of 19-5.

On Sunday afternoon the Orange and Black completed their conquest of the Constitution State, mauling Hartford (1-6-1) by a score of 4-0 and allowing only four shots on goal all game.

Dartmouth will present a new challenge for the hungry Tigers on Saturday, as well as provoking emotions left over from last year, when the Big Green took the Ivy League title from Princeton. That loss ended three consecutive years of championships for the Tigers, and was especially painful as the sole match-up between the two teams was decided by a Dartmouth goal with 48 seconds remaining.

The Big Green is led by senior goalkeeper Anne Marbarger, who has helped the team to shutouts in each of its four victories to date, while posting a .821 save percentage and averaging less then one goal allowed per game.

On the offensive side of the ball for Dartmouth, sophomore forward Sarah Johnson leads the team with five goals, almost half of the 12 the team has scored on the year.

The Tigers will respond with their dynamic offense, led by senior forward Esmeralda Negron, and their backfield, arguably the best in the nation, led by senior defender Brea Griffiths.

Scoring three times last weekend moved Negron to second on the all-time list of career goal-scorers at Old Nassau, leaving her just nine shy of Linda Deboer '86's record of 41, something she is sure to have in the back of her mind against Dartmouth. Yet that shouldn't hurt the team as they match up against the Big Green, since in addition to her five goals so far this season, Negron has also managed to be unselfish, finding her teammates thrice for assists. Overall, the offense has more than doubled the shot total of its opponents, 113-48, and they will look to continue that pattern against Dartmouth.

Despite the talent of the Princeton offense this year, the true explanation for the Tigers' rise to greatness this year, and their biggest asset for the game on Saturday, is their defense.

In the seven games they've played so far this season, the defense has allowed only two goals, tying them for best in the nation with UC-Riverside (who has been helped by a much lighter schedule than Princeton's). Helping out in front of the net have been Madeline Jackson and Emily Vogelzang, splitting time as Tiger goalies and combining for a .923 save percentage and five shutouts.

Griffiths, a strong defender for the Tigers, earned her stripes on both ends of the field last weekend as she led the defense and scored a header goal on a corner kick, earning Ivy Player of the Week honors. Her versatility will be crucial against the offensive wiles of the Big Green.

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It seems that revenge should be the name of the game on Saturday, as Princeton, who has outscored opponents 15-2, should outclass Dartmouth both defensively and offensively, as the Big Green has a mere 12-7 scoring edge this season.

Incidentally, this Saturday's game marks the first of four consecutive home games for the Tigers, their first games on campus since a Sept. 3 win over then-No. 5 Texas A&M.