The Dartmouth women soccer team doesn't seem to believe that the closer you get to the goal, the better your chance of scoring. The Big Green have been far more effective from outside of the box than in.
Struggling on offense, they have only scored eight goals in 11 games. But the Big Green (3-7-1, 1-1 Ivy) have proven dangerous from a distance, especially on set pieces. Six of their eight goals came from either outside the 18-yard mark, or from free kicks, corners and penalties.
"We've already identified that they're good on set pieces," said Penn defender Eileen Larkin. "So we're not going crazy on it at practice but we're aware of it."
Penn (8-2-1, 2-0) struggled earlier this season defending set pieces, but coach Darren Ambrose feels his team has improved in that department over the last four weeks.
"[Dartmouth is] typically very good on set pieces, so we would expect to have to do well in the air against them and fight for loose balls," he said.
Dartmouth's leading goalscorer, Maggie Goldstein, has been particularly effective. All four of her goals have come from more than 20 yards out.
While the teams' records may suggest Penn should be the favorite, Dartmouth's mark may be deceiving. The Big Green have played a tough non-league schedule, including road games versus Maryland, Duke and No. 5 Texas A&M.;
Dartmouth proved worthy Ivy opponents with a 1-0 win at Yale last Saturday.
"[In] Ivy League games, records are irrelevant," Ambrose said. "I think our kids know that we have to work hard to get a win."
Though Penn has an edge on paper, the Big Green may have the mental edge - no player on the Penn roster has ever claimed victory over them. Dartmouth won each of the past two meetings 1-0.
More motivation for Dartmouth stems from being left out of the NCAA tournament field last year after finishing second in the Ivy League with an overall record of 12-4-1 and only one Ivy loss.
Having already suffered a loss in league play - a 2-1 defeat to Princeton - another loss would most likely wipe away their chances of winning the league and getting into the tournament.
"I think it's still really early in the season, and there's still a lot of time to change and make things happen, so I don't think they're going to be playing with that mentality," captain Natalie Capuano said. "I think they are coming in ready to go though."
Penn has some motivation of its own. A win would give the Quakers their first 3-0 Ivy start since the 2004-2005 year.
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