Two recent outings have done a fine job of revealing both the strengths and limitations of his first Big Green team. Georgetown deposited its first four shots and bolted to a 5-0 lead, but Dartmouth then settled in and played well for 20 minutes before the Hoyas scored twice in the last 20 seconds of the half. A solid third quarter followed, but the Big Green unraveled defensively as Georgetown scored six in a row in the fourth quarter.
Back home in the snow against Penn, Dartmouth managed to get to halftime tied, only to endure a scoring drought of more than 27 minutes in an 11-8 loss.
“It’s that last piece of execution,” Kirwan said. “Can we not only do it at a high level, but at a consistent level? That’s the biggest thing: Showing up every day, bringing our best, doing our jobs to the best of our ability and do that consistently. That piece is that last piece of the puzzle.”
Kirwan believes the team he has now is vastly superior to the one that began preseason practice about two months ago, even if the Big Green sit below .500. Does Dartmouth have a late-season surprise in it, perhaps when Yale or Cornell pays a visit in the back half of league play? Or maybe Saturday, when it matches up against Princeton?
No matter that answer, Kirwan was always going to take the long-term view this season. It is, put simply, the beginning of a multi-year process.
“For our guys to have that resiliency even through losses to have that energy and enthusiasm [is vital],” Kirwan said. “I think every time we show up, we play hard and give great effort. In a lot of ways, that’s the foundation you need, and in some other ways, that’s the minimum standard.”