Just when it looked as though the 0-0 game was headed for overtime, which would have marked the Big Green's fifth trip into an extra session in 10 matches this season, a sudden lapse of concentration in the Dartmouth defense gave the away team a chance it didn't squander. After a long throw for Sacred Heart from the left wing, the ball found striker Jesper Fredriksson around the middle of the penalty area, where he flicked it on to the far post. The ball was met by the onrushing Jeton Shoshi, who coolly slotted it past Rowan Anders '07 in the bottom corner of the goal.
"It's very difficult to talk after a game like that," head coach Jeff Cook said after the game. "We had so much of the ball and especially in the second half, most of the action was in their penalty area. But concentration can become a factor, and we didn't keep our concentration on either ends of the field today. When we have that much possession, we have to use it better than we did."
After playing with a 4-5-1 formation in the last few games, the Big Green switched back to a 4-4-2, with Michael Ordonez '08 pushed up front to aid Mike Limpert '07's efforts. However, the two teams played a very evenly matched first half, when chances were hard to come by.
In the 26th minute, Sacred Heart (5-4-1) had its best chance of the game, when one of the forwards took advantage of center-back Lucas Richardson '07's injury to go past the Big Green defense, only to be denied by a perfect save from Anders. However, Dartmouth took a big blow on the play, as it lost its rock-solid co-captain, who left the field with a knee problem and might not be back in time for the Sunday game against Yale.
On the other end of the field, chances were rare for the Big Green and came mostly from mistakes by the Sacred Heart defense. Tom Lobben '08 could not capitalize on the chances he had, shooting straight into the goalkeeper on two occasions. Daniel Keat '10 also had a chance to score in the first half, but his curled shot went just wide of the mark.
"Goal scoring is the highest paid position in the world of soccer and the guys who can do it play for the biggest and the best teams in the world," Cook said. "It's not an easy thing, but we need to start doing it."
At the end of the first half, each team finished with six shots, with Anders coming up big for his team, making four saves and looking solid in goal.
In the second half, the Big Green started very positively and dominated most of the play. Sacred Heart keeper Matthew Jones was put under constant pressure as Lobben and Nick Christman '08 tormented the opponent's defense with constant runs on both wings.
Michael Ordonez '08 was also very active in the half, but missed the best chance for the Big Green in the 63rd minute, after heading wide from a few feet away with the empty goal gaping in front of him.
Accuracy was probably the biggest problem for Dartmouth players in the game, as only four of their total of 17 shots hit the target, with the rest going wide of the mark.
"The silver lining is that we are alive in the Ivy League and have to focus on those games," Cook said. "I have no doubt that these guys will give a huge effort this coming Sunday against Yale. They are a very determined group of players."
The Big Green team returns to action on Sunday when it hosts Yale at 2:30 p.m. on Chase Field for a key Ivy League matchup.
