No. 2 Dartmouth faced its first major road test of the young season on Friday night, and passed with flying colors.
The Big Green women came to No. 8 Princeton’s Hobey Baker Rink – where the Tigers upset them last season – and ensured that no such thing would happen this time around, winning 3-0 behind two goals from junior Katie Weatherston and 18 saves from sophomore goaltender Christine Capuano.
“It was a great win to get here,” said Dartmouth coach Mark Hudak, whose Big Green improved to 2-0 (1-0 ECACHL) with the win. “Princeton is a very good team. They’ve got three very solid lines, and I think we match up well with them. I’m really happy with the way the kids came out tonight.”
“I thought our kids competed really hard,” said Princeton coach Jeff Kampersal. “I thought that we weren’t used to the speed. Last week, we played a tough Providence team, but Dartmouth is a lot quicker. Those guys can just flat-out fly.”
Dartmouth took an early 1-0 lead courtesy of junior Cherie Piper, as the Olympian scored her second goal of the season on an off-angle shot that flew across the body of Princeton keeper Roxanne Gaudiel and into the corner of the net for the eventual game-winner.
Princeton looked to equalize late in the period, as a penalty to Krista Dornfried gave the Tigers their third power play opportunity of the game, but the Big Green penalty kill created a breakaway opportunity for Weatherston. The Thunder Bay, Ont., native didn’t waste the chance, faking Gaudiel out and launching a backhand shot that found the top left corner of the net for a shorthanded tally.
Weatherston’s backhand found the mark again in the second period. This time, Dartmouth’s leading active scorer lit the lamp on the power play, as Weatherston was able to get through the Tiger defense and score.
“I just thought that [Gaudiel] was giving me that side,” Weatherston said. “I went there twice, and it worked out.”
“She’s a magician with the puck,” Kampersal said of Weatherston. “That’s a couple of bad plays by us right there.”
The Tigers had several opportunities during the third period, and held Dartmouth to a single shot on goal in the final frame, but the Big Green managed to bear down and preserve the win, led by Capuano, who made six third-period saves to complete the shutout.
“I was really excited about it,” Capuano said of her season debut. “I was a little shaky in the beginning, not having played last week, but I was pumped to play and ready to play.”
Dartmouth will travel to Yale tomorrow for a matchup with the Bulldogs, while the Tigers will welcome Vermont to Baker Rink. Both games start at 4 p.m.
Elliot Olshansky is an assistant editor for CollegeSports.com.
