The men's soccer team limped home from Boston after a hard-fought 0-0 overtime tie with Harvard on Saturday afternoon.
Dartmouth outshot Harvard 14-13 in a very evenly played match that had post-season implications for both teams.
The result eliminated Dartmouth from the Ivy League title hunt, but the Big Green, whose record now stands at 6-3-3, can still make the NCAA tournament by earning an at-large berth. However, the Big Green are currently plagued with an ever-growing injury list.
In the first half, midfielder Methembe Ndlovu '97 twisted his knee but was able to return to the game. But a second-half injury to Asa Marokus '95 was more serious. Marokus hurt an ankle in the 80th minute and was not able to return to the field.
Marokus and George O'Brien '95, who has a severely sprained ankle, are both members of a crippled defensive unit, which also includes Ian Saward '95, who has struggled this year with both neck and hamstring injuries, and Noah Waterhouse '97, who has a strained groin.
Depth at defender proved to be the Big Green's biggest asset against the Crimson. Scott Martin '98 made his first career start and B.J. Grattan '96 saw considerable playing time.
Like the defense, goalie Brian Wiese '95 played very well, earning his fourth shutout of the season.
While Dartmouth was unable to find the back of the net against Harvard, the Big Green offense carried the team to a 5-1 victory over Providence College last Wednesday.
Providence opened the scoring in the fifth minute, when Friar Tom Babka took a pass from teammate Matt Baldwin and slid a shot past a diving Wiese.
Less than three minutes later, the Big Green responded. A gorgeous cross from Blaine LeGere '95 found the head of Hunter Paschall '96, who had made a back-post run. Paschall's header flew over Providence goalie Chris Ivany's outstretched arms and landed in the right side-netting.
The Big Green took the lead for good in the 38th minute on a picturesque 20-yard blast from LeGere. David Moran '96 set up the goal, chipping a pass to LeGere, who struck the bouncing ball without settling it. The ball went over Ivany and dipped under the crossbar.
"[Moran] gave me a beautiful pass," LeGere said. "The shot was presented to me on a silver platter."
Two minutes into the second half, Bill Cronin '95 padded Dartmouth's lead, scoring in his second consecutive game. Chris Mitchell '95 sprinted down the left sideline and hit a left-footed cross that Paschall let go through to Cronin, who settled and cut to his left before striking the ball into the lower right side-netting.
Before the Providence players could figure out what hit them, Dartmouth made it 4-1, courtesy of Paschall. A Cronin cross found Paschall, who chipped the ball back across the goal and into the left side-netting, where Mitchell had made a run and watched it go in.
"I put the ball across for [Mitchell]," said Paschall, whose goal was his team-leading seventh of the season. "He deserves the credit for the goal."
Moran then finished off the scoring, taking a LeGere pass at midfield, touching it through an open space in the Providence defense, and hitting a low line-drive past a hapless Ivany.
"[Providence] had an early break, but we did not panic," Coach Fran O'Leary said. "We kept our composure."
The wounded Big Green have a few days of much-needed rest before they face their next opponent, the University of Connecticut. To have a realistic chance of making the NCAA tournament, Dartmouth needs to win its remaining three games.
Kickoff against UConn is Friday at 2 p.m.
