Behind the scenes coming into this NIRA season many felt that Lindenwood was a steamroller that the incumbent NCAA programs were very nervous about.
It hasn’t really turned out that way, however. Lindenwood’s opponents have risen to the challenge in one way or another, and for the Lions it hasn’t exactly been a bunch of slow antelope waiting to be taken down.
Witness Harvard’s 26-17 defeat of Lindenwood earlier this year, and then this past weekend, when Dartmouth made the trip out to St. Charles.
Ultimately Lindenwood did win this game, but it was a battle, especially in difficult weather conditions. The Lions needed a 61st-minute try from young forward sensation Jasmine Fehoko to win it 12-5.
Dartmouth struck first in the middle of the first half. Marley Larkin, who has been prominent on the Big Green scoresheet, scored her 10th try of the season to put Dartmouth up 5-0.
But a big shift for Lindenwood is that Freda Tafuna is back from World Cup duty with the USA and she was a big factor, thundering in from 30 meters out and carrying two defenders with her to score. That tied it up.
The second half saw just the one try. The Lions then worked their way in close and Fehoko scored from short range. Tafuna added the conversion and that was it: Lindenwood 12, Dartmouth 5.
"The conditions changed how we played," said Lindenwood Head Coach Trevor Locke. "Dartmouth got stuck-in and made she we missed some opportunities. In NIRA we've found that we win a lot of positive collisions but teams like Harvard and Dartmouth have been able to absorb and continue to scramble defense really, really well.
"For us the next level is how do we break down defense."
Both Harvard and Dartmouth managed to hold up Lindenwood in-goal multiple times. It has become a frustration for the Lions.
"We're realizing that if we're getting inside the 22, were not guaranteed to score," said Locke. "Dartmouth worked really hard to shape their defense and not give us opportunities on the edge."
Still Lindenwood came away with the win. Fehoko once again brought impact in the second half. He'Lena Dou'Ble has an unstoppable work rate and makes meters. Domniki Platis was very effective in her first start while wing Kahea Pahulu showed work rate, smarts, and toughness on the wing.
