On Sept. 30, Dartmouth field hockey hosted Brown University for their Ivy League home opener at Chase Field. The Big Green won 2-0, marking their first Ivy League victory since 2018. Previously, the team had a 25-game losing streak in Ivy League play.
Goalkeeper Ava Carlson ’26 saved all eight shots on goal, leading to her first collegiate shutout. It was the Big Green’s first Ivy League shutout since 2012, when they held the University of Pennsylvania scoreless in a 2-0 win. Carlson’s first-quarter save of a Brown penalty stroke proved vital to the team’s success, allowing the Big Green to gain offensive momentum.
Last season, the Big Green finished 3-14 overall, and 0-7 in the Ivy League. They lost each of their last five Ivy League games by a single goal. This year, the team has seen impressive contributions from new players, leading to increased success.
Ella Bowman ’27 scored both Big Green goals in the game. She first scored by converting a penalty stroke after an interception by Lila Browne ’24 in the second-quarter. Bowman added an insurance goal when Olivia Galiotos ’26 found her off a penalty corner in the third-quarter. Bowman was named Ivy League Co-Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts, and Carlson received an honorable mention for her shutout.
For co-captain Bronwyn Bird ’24, it’s exciting to see younger members of the team step up.
“I’m inspired by all of our freshmen and how they’re performing this season,” Bird said. “I think that coming in and being able to make an impact on a team — where traditionally, you’re kind of told [that] as a freshman, you’re never going to get on the field — I think it’s really exciting that that’s not the case at Dartmouth.”
Head coach Mark Egner said the Big Green’s camaraderie is an important aspect of success.
“There’s often a four year cycle to the life of a team and that can bring with it a hierarchy that the freshmen are there to serve the upperclassmen … we want to be able to trust and rely on each other on the field so that’s something we’ve kind of fought against since I got here,” Enger explained.
For Bird, the win against Brown was incredibly meaningful and has taken some pressure off the team.
“It was just so awesome to see how so many years and hours of hard work can result in such a beautiful game,” Bird said. “It’s allowed us to be more lighthearted at practice, have fun with it and really work together to try and get another one.”
Co-captain Meg Barnes ’23 attributed the win against Brown to the team’s consistent determination and strong mindset.
“I think for us going into this game, it was actually important that we didn’t have a different mindset … we didn’t put too much pressure on the game or on ourselves to perform any certain way,” Barnes explained. “Everyone’s just looking to contribute the way they can on the field.”
Barnes has been co-captain of Dartmouth field hockey for two years and a member of the team since 2019. She has been integral to the team’s dynamic, starting all of the games she has appeared in since the 2021 season.
“I think it’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt,” Barnes said, while reflecting on the win against Brown.
Egner echoed Barnes’s sentiments. Hired in March 2020, Egner has been working to foster a positive team culture and improve Dartmouth field hockey for the past four years.
“I think going into this year, we knew this was going to happen,” Egner said. “We were going to get our first Ivy win, and I think we came into the season with a lot more confidence that that was going to happen.”
Egner emphasized Carlson’s wonderful game in goal for the Big Green and how it propelled the team’s momentum.
“I think Ava Carlson’s performance was fantastic and a real credit to the work she’s put in … I worked a little bit closer with her last week, and it was just really enjoyable to see her find success,” Egner said. “I don’t think there’s a player on our team that I’m not excited about.”
Egner is optimistic about the future of the Big Green, but he wants to focus on the present moment in terms of the team’s direction.
“It’s exciting to be on this trajectory, and I’m very optimistic about the future, but my job is to focus on the team we have right now and have one eye on the future, rather than to just be thinking down the road,” Enger said.
The team recently fell to Penn 4-1 in Ivy League play with Emma Reynolds ’27 scoring her first collegiate goal in the fourth quarter. The Big Green looks forward to challenging their next competitor –– Yale University –– in New Haven on Friday, Oct. 13.
