The men's soccer team suffered a crushing 3-2 overtime defeat yesterday against Princeton.
With just over 15 minutes remaining in regulation time, Princeton faced a seemingly insurmountable two-goal deficit. Behind three goals from senior midfielder Mark Shumka, who came on as a substitute in the second half, the Tigers completed a remarkable comeback.
Geoff Zawtocki '94 put the Big Green ahead with 9:35 remaining in the first half with his second goal of the season off a corner kick from Blaine LeGere '95.
LeGere's kick went near-post, eliminating the effects of the wind which caused his first corner kick to float into the hands of Princeton goalie Rob Pawloski. Zawtocki, with his back to the goal, flicked the ball into the net with the outside of his left foot.
Earlier in the half, LeGere set up Bill Cronin '95, whose header hit the crossbar and shot straight up into the air. David Moran '96 went up for the rebound, but Pawloski blocked his shot.
While the first half was an evenly played game with much of the action centered around midfield, the Big Green took control in the second half and created numerous scoring opportunities.
Pawloski "came up with some very big saves at crucial points," Coach Bobby Clark said. "Those saves kept the Tigers in the game."
Dartmouth added what seemed to be an insurance goal 27 minutes into the second half. Mike Bradley '96, who had just come onto the field as a midfield substitute, hit a far post cross shot which Moran finished with a one-touch, right-footed shot. The Big Green was up, 2-0, and had the momentum.
"At that point in the game, we were playing perhaps the best soccer we had played all year," Clark said. "We were playing with so much confidence and we had the momentum."
Shumka's goal with 15:26 remaining gave Princeton the momentum. Beating goalie Brian Wiese '95 in a race to Tiger Thad McBride's cross, Shumka edged the ball past a sliding Wiese into the open Dartmouth net.
Two minutes later, Princeton midfielder Andre Parris sent the ball back to Tiger Mike Busch. Busch hit a cross which Princeton's Joe Thieman flicked to Shumka. He then came sprinting down the right side of the field where his right-footed blast from inside Dartmouth's 18-yard box hit the left post and went in, tying the score, 2-2.
With 2:35 remaining in regulation, LeGere received a pass from George O'Brien '95 and went in alone on Pawloski. The Tiger goalie tipped LeGere's shot which was headed toward the right side of the goal and the game headed into overtime.
Wiese denied Parris twice in the first five minutes of overtime, both times making excellent sliding saves near the top of the box. But with 7:17 left in the first overtime period, Shumka completed his hat trick, hitting a right-footed shot from 12 yards out into the left side-netting.
With just 40 seconds remaining in the second overtime, a last-gasp shot by Asa Marokus '95 sailed over the crossbar, sealing Dartmouth's fate.
The loss "is going to be a test," Clark said. "We'll have to see if we can grow from it."
Dartmouth's record slips to 6-3 overall, 1-2 in the Ivy League. Princeton now stands at 7-3 and, with a perfect 4-0 record in the Ivy League, the Tigers are close to winning the Ivy League championship.
With six games remaining, an at-large NCAA tournament berth is still a strong possibility for the Big Green. Wednesday, Dartmouth travels to Amherst, Mass. for a 3 p.m. game against the University of Massachusetts.
