DURHAM, N.H. – Dartmouth women's hockey hit the road Monday, travelling to New Hampshire to play its final game of 2024 and kick off the second half of the season.
The Big Green tallied goals in the first two periods, holding the Wildcats scoreless for over 45 minutes en route to the 2-1 victory, their first win of the 2024-25 season. With the win, Dartmouth moves to 1-14.
Dartmouth opened the scoring just under seven minutes into the first period. Sydney Vandenberg won a foot race to a loose puck in the offensive zone, beating a defender and the goaltender, sliding the puck into the net, scoring her first career goal and putting the Big Green up 1-0.
"I was at the point and when the puck came, I just knew I had to get it over the blue line. So, I tipped it past the defense, I saw there was an opening, and it was pretty much a foot race between me and the other [defender]," Vandenberg said.
In the second period, Dartmouth was dominant in the offensive zone, outshooting the Wildcats 13-5. The Big Green would double their lead with just over six minutes to play in the period.
Bridget Pringle took multiple whacks at the puck in the crease and while the Wildcats goaltender stopped the first few, she stayed with it, netting her first career goal and putting the Big Green up 2-0.
"[My goal] started with a great offensive effort from my linemates," Pringle said. "Both Shae [Messner] and Cally [Dixon] were really good at their forecheck and then I was able to get a scramble for the puck loose in front of the net and hammered it home."
In the third period, the Wildcats put their most shots on goal of the game, putting six shots on Michaela Hesová. She was able to stop five of them, including time where the Wildcats were playing 6-on-5.
"My defense was playing great today," Hesová said following the game. We didn't really let them get any rebounds… I had clear shots so I could make easy saves, and my defense made it really easy."
With the Big Green earning the victory on a 15 save performance in net and two first career goals, Head Coach Maura Crowell, who also earned her first win with the Big Green, describes the game as a team effort.
"We needed everyone to get that win today," Crowell said. "The awesome thing for our group is it took everybody, and everybody was involved. You learn a lot winning that way."
Crowell added goals from Pringle and Vandenberg provide confidence to not just them, but the whole team, proving they can generate offensively no matter who is on the ice.
The Big Green will play two more games this week, a home and home with the Harvard Crimson to kick off 2025 and ECAC Hockey play in the second half.
The goal for Crowell's team headed into Friday is to "keep going, play like we did in the second and third," Crowell said. "Take our lessons… we're going to learn; we're going to get better and take care of our bodies as we head back to Hanover."
Hesová, Pringle, and Vandenberg echoed their head coach, noting they've put in the work and the win is extremely important as they head into the remainder of conference play.
Friday and Saturday's matchups are both set for 3 p.m. and can be watched on ESPN+. You can buy tickets to Dartmouth's game against the Crimson at Thompson Arena on Saturday, January 4
here.