The Dartmouth women’s basketball team opened the season strong by taking down the Keene State College Owls in a 98-47 statement victory on Nov. 8. The Big Green lost 53-58 the next week in a tight battle against the University of Albany Great Danes on Nov. 13, bringing their record to 1-1.
Beating Keene State marked the team’s first winning season opener since 2019. Guard Victoria Page ’25 led the board with 19 points, followed by guard Zeynep Ozel ’28, who hit 17, and forward Olivia Austin ’28, who put up 12.
The game began with a flash. Alexandra Eldredge ’27 sniped a three-point shot off the tip-off in the first five seconds of the game. On the return, the Big Green put on the pressure, triggering a shot clock violation for Keene State. The team kept that momentum going throughout the first quarter, running up a 21-4 lead at the buzzer.
From the start, the team’s energy was clear, forward Doreen Ariik ’25 said.
“Everyone is very passionate,” she said. “The whole team is putting a lot of effort into defensive posture.”
Head coach Linda Cimino praised the team for their hard work and communication on the court.
“This group is really bought in,” Cimino said. “We’re going to look to play inside out and be a fundamentally defensively sound team.”
Last year, Dartmouth led the Ivy League with the fewest opponent points per game. According to Ariik, this record was due to the “standard [they] set for [them]selves last year.” The team is “upholding the same expectation” this season, Ariik added.
In their second match-up of the season, the Big Green faced the University of Albany. The Dartmouth squad had 30 assists while the Great Danes had seven. According to Cimino, this speaks to the “chemistry and communication between the younger and older players” that the coaches have been emphasizing during practice.
Teamwork was especially evident in the fourth quarter of the game against Albany. Early in the quarter, they were down by as much as 13 points. However, Dartmouth’s strong defensive play forced the Great Danes into a dry spout— leading to a 10-0 run to tie up the game.
Going forward, Cimino said she wants the team’s upperclassmen to continue to “help [lead] the younger players.” Those developments are already underway, she added, as “the players are taking initiative and taking ownership of the program.”
Senior guard Page shared this sentiment.
“We’re led by our freshman point guard [Zeynep Ozel ’28],” she said. “We’re playing a lot of newcomers this year so their energy and excitement for the game and to be at this level is driving us.”
It’s true — Dartmouth women’s rookies have had an impressive debut. Ozel, Austin and Tahira Muhammad ’28 have totaled 58 points in just two games, each averaging between 8.8 and 10-and-a-half points per game. Outside of scoring, the rookies have been crucial across the court, averaging 20 to 30 minutes of play time a game.
According to Ariik, as the seniors look forward to their final season, they are focusing on mentoring their rookies. They’re also planning to stick to what’s simple — “having fun.”
“It’s nostalgic for us because we’re on our way out,” Ariik said. “But everyone is very passionate, and it’s fun to watch how this program has evolved.”
The Big Green women will host the University of Massachusetts Lowell at Leede Arena on Nov. 16 at 1 p.m., followed by post-game autographs. Dartmouth has an overall 3-0 record in all time match-ups against the River Hawks.
