On Oct. 8, the Dartmouth men’s soccer team tied 0-0 with the University of New Hampshire Wildcats in an in-state rivalry game on a cold night in Hanover.
The Burnham Field matchup was the Big Green’s first meeting against their ‘Granite State rivals’ since 2019, when UNH pulled away with a 1-0 win. The Wildcats have qualified for the NCAA tournament every year since 2017, making them a formidable opponent to the Big Green.
Coming off a 3-0 loss on the road at Cornell University, the Big Green knew it would be important to “[put] up a good performance against an in-state rival,” goalkeeper Costi Christodoulou ’25 said.
“I would have preferred a different result, but I’m happy with the performance and the effort,” he said.
It was the Big Green’s first no-score game of the season.
Play was strongly controlled by the Big Green offense during the first half of the match. As the offense consistently drove the ball toward the UNH goal, it put pressure on the UNH defense to make stops and UNH goalkeeper Erik Lauta to make saves.
After a scoreless first half, the team was determined to put forward their best soccer and maintain their offensive push, according to defender Sebastián Mañón ’26.
“We just wanted to keep it going,” Mañón said. “First 10 minutes, come back in with that same intensity, then let our technique take control of it.”
The Big Green did continue their offensive momentum with 11 shots on goal in the second half, eight of which were saved by Lauta.
Although Dartmouth applied most of the offensive pressure throughout the game, the Wildcat offense occasionally forced the Big Green to match their defensive game with breakaways down the field and drives toward the Dartmouth goal.
However, Christodoulou refused to let a ball into the goal, ending the game with three saves and numerous other key stops.
“I think it’s just about trusting your training, being ready for the moment, relying on the guys around me and being there for them when they need me,” Christodoulou said.
A minor altercation broke out between the rivals in the 57th minute of the game. Players on both teams clashed in the middle of the field, exchanging words and shoves before ultimately getting back to the game.
The Wildcats were given two red cards and one yellow card — leaving UNH down a man for the remainder of the half. The Big Green were given two yellow cards.
The atmosphere on the field became even more tense after the altercation. The few fans who braved the rain and chilly temperatures felt the intensity of the moment as they watched the gritty play. Players and parents were not afraid to make their feelings known, often chirping out in frustration after what they perceived to be a missed foul or unsportsmanlike conduct call.
Ultimately, neither team was able to come away with a goal in the second half of the game, resulting in a 0-0 tie that brought Dartmouth’s record to 4-4-2 on the season.
This season, the Wildcats have allowed less than one goal per game. Big Green head coach Bo Oshoniyi said he was impressed by his team’s ability to rattle off 13 shots.
“It was huge,” Oshoniyi said. “UNH is a really good team. They historically have had unbelievable seasons and things like that — they have a quality side there. So for us to be able to create that many chances against a quality opponent is something that we’ll build on — definitely continuing into the Ivy League.”
Despite not clutching the win, the Dartmouth squad is heading into the rest of the week hopeful and determined to take Columbia University to the mat on Saturday, Oct. 12 at Burnham Field.
“It’s just about coming out on Saturday and making sure we win no matter what,” Christodoulou said. “Whatever it takes, pick up a win, find a way — if it’s ugly, so be it.”
