“The main focus for us leading into this first week of games has been embracing every day we have to get better,” Captain Colton Shaw ’25 told the News ahead of the matchup. “I think we’ve done a great job of focusing on the little details that we know will get us to our end goal.” 

The team’s offseason commitment clearly paid off. 

On Friday, the Elis took the field for the season’s first game. Queens secured the first run of the game in the bottom of the 1st, which was the only inning they held the lead. During the 2nd inning, Jack Dauer ’28 singled through the right side, sending Tommy Martin ’25 to the plate and evening the score 1–1. Hayden Sobecki ’25 followed up with his own RBI, sending Garret Larsen ’27 home to start the lead over Queens. The Bulldogs would only strengthen over the remainder of the game.

In the 3rd inning, the Bulldogs extended their lead by a whopping three runs. Jake Williams ’25 singled, notching his first RBI of the game and sending Alec Atkinson ’25 home after an error by the Queens’ third baseman. Martin singled to left field, allowing Williams to add another run to the Bulldogs’ score. Larsen singled through the left side, sending Max Imhoff ’25 home. The Elis ended the 3rd inning up 5–1.

This was far from the end of scoring plays from the Bulldogs. In the 4th inning, Williams tripled to right field, netting another two RBIs with Jeff Pierantoni ’25 and Sobecki crossing the plate. Imhoff grounded out to the shortstop but snagged an RBI, with Williams making it to home plate. The Bulldogs held a commanding 8–1 lead.

In the 5th, Pierantoni sent Larsen home, securing a 9–1 lead in the middle of the inning. Queens responded with a home run and an RBI but would not score again. Going into the 6th, the score was 9–3.

The Bulldogs tallied two more runs in the 7th, with Pierantoni scoring on a throwing error and Williams netting his third RBI of the game by sending Atkinson home. The Elis held a strong 11-3 lead. 

In the 8th, Larsen sent Martin home on a flyout, Kaiden Dossa ‘27 scored on a Dauer single, Atkinson tallied two RBIs with both Sobecki and Dauer crossing the plate and Williams netted his fourth and final RBI with Pierantoni scoring. 

After the inning concluded with no runs from Queens, the mercy rule was implemented, finalizing a 16–3 Yale win. Starting pitcher Shaw pitched 6.0 innings and picked up the win on the mound.

The victory was monumental in many ways. The Bulldogs scored their most runs in a season opener in more than 15 years, as well as stealing ten bases over the course of the game — the most the Queens program has ever given up.

Game two took place on Saturday. The Bulldogs trailed the Royals at first, with Queens taking an early 2–0 lead. Dossa doubled in the 2nd, sending Imhoff home and putting the Elis on the board. In the 4th, a double from Larsen brought Martin home and evened the score at 2–2. 

Queens retook the lead during the bottom of the 4th, and held onto it until Williams notched his fifth RBI of the weekend, tying the game 3–3. In the top of the 9th, Dauer secured the Bulldogs series victory with a two-out solo home run to left field. The Elis topped the Royals with a final score of 4–3. The pitching staff saw impressive results from four relievers, with Jack Ohman ‘28, DJ Peterson ’28, Ethan Lewis ’26 and Tate Evans ’26 combining for five shutout innings, and Lewis picking up the win.

The third game was another high-scoring one for the Yale team, with seven runs scored in extra innings. Williams opened up scoring with a sac fly in the 1st, with the Bulldogs taking an early 1–0 lead. Martin extended the lead with a solo home run down the right-field line. The score would remain 2–0 until the 6th inning when the Royals put a run on the board. 

In the 8th, Queens took the lead with two runs, forcing the Bulldogs to score or lose as they headed into the top of the 9th. A series of mistakes from the Royals allowed Martin to advance to second, and a single from Dossa sent him home to tie the game 3–3. The Bulldogs held the Royals off in the bottom of the 9th to send the game to extra frames. 

In the 10th inning, the Elis came alive. Dossa reached on a fielder’s choice, sending Dauer home for an unearned run. Chace Chaplin ’27 followed up by doubling to left center, sending three Bulldogs, Larsen, Dossa and Williams, across the plate for a 7–3 lead. Pierantoni singled up the middle to send Colin Sloan ’27 home. Pierantoni and Imhoff advanced to second and third base, respectively, after an error from a Queens’ outfielder. Dauer’s subsequent single through the right side sent both Pierantoni and Imhoff home to give the Bulldogs a 10–3 lead. Mick Kelley ’25 picked up the win on the mound with a scoreless 9th inning, and Peterson closed out the game for the Bulldogs

The sweep of Queens meant that the Elis won the first three games of the season for the first time since 2010.

“Each day and even each inning is almost its own game to go win,” Mark Capell ‘25 told the News. “The vibes are definitely really good in the locker room right now, but given our experienced lineup, we are locked in on the day-to-day environment and schedule. [We] are ready to go out and take care of business this weekend as if it were game one all over again.” 

This upcoming weekend, the Bulldogs travel to Charleston, South Carolina, for a three-game series against The Citadel. 

The post BASEBALL: The Bulldogs win three opening games appeared first on Yale Daily News.

The Bulldogs looked to take down the Princeton Tigers, undefeated in the conference and number one in the Ivy League. In 20 years, Yale field hockey has never beaten Princeton.

At the beginning of the match, it looked like that losing streak could end. The Bulldogs controlled the momentum of the game from the first period. Led by Ymre Massee ’28 and Ellie Barlow ’25, Yale posted a 6–1 shot advantage, putting pressure on the Tigers early on. 

Within both the first and second periods, Alexa Pitts ’25 held Princeton, a team known for their ability to put goals on the board, scoreless. Pitts had two saves in the first half and six total, one shy of tying a career-high.

The Yale critical defensive play happened midway through the third quarter. Pitts made a tough save, kicking away a shot from a Tiger player, and the follow-up shot hit the post and was cleared away by Hettie Whittington ’27. The game remained scoreless heading into the final quarter.

The Bulldogs’ last scoring chance came during a penalty corner early in the fourth quarter. Yale could not convert. 

Princeton was awarded a penalty corner with three minutes left in the game. During the corner, a shot from a Tiger player was blocked by the body of Colette Staadecker ’25, a crucial save, but after video review, Princeton was awarded a stroke. 

Princeton selected Beth Yaeger, the NFHCA National Offensive Player of the Week, to attempt the stroke. Yaeger snuck the ball past Pitts, which put the Tigers up 0–1. This would be the game’s only goal.

This 0–1 loss marked the first time Princeton was held to one goal or less since Oct. 6, a testament to the Bulldogs’ skill and determination.

“Missing the tournament was devastating,” Lauren Venter ’26 wrote to the News. “We worked incredibly hard toward that goal every single day. Although the final outcome wasn’t what we felt we deserved, I’m incredibly proud of our growth and all that this team has accomplished. We took down top-20 programs and fought hard against some of the best teams in the country. We reached milestones, achieving the most program wins in a season since 2018. This is just the beginning—we’ll come back stronger and more focused, ready to build on this season’s achievements.”

With the loss to Princeton, Yale fell to fourth in the Ivy League, tied with Cornell. Their fate, now out of their hands and into the paws of the Columbia Lions, proved bleak. 

On Sunday, Columbia (6–9, 3–4 Ivy) beat Dartmouth (3–13, 0–7 Ivy) and secured the fourth and final spot in the Ivy League tournament, closing this season’s chapter for Yale Field Hockey.

With the end of the season, the team says goodbye to seven seniors: Barlow, Keely Comizio ’25, Julia Freedman ’25, Nicole Gotthardt ’25, Pitts, Lily Ramsey ’25 and Staadecker.

“Something I loved about the 2024 season was having the chance to be on the field with my entire class, who are also my best friends,” Pitts wrote to the News. “It’s been incredible to play alongside them, sharing both the highs and the lows. Knowing this was our last season together made every game and every practice feel that much more meaningful.”

The Bulldogs finish their season with an overall record of 10–6 and a winning percentage of .625.

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Each senior, escorted by their family, walked onto Johnson Field for the last conference game of their career. The team acknowledged the contributions made by the senior class and then got straight to work against the Lions.

Both teams failed to score in the first half, but combined for a total of five goals during the final half with the ultimate score resulting in a 2–3 Bulldogs loss. The Columbia goalkeeper had nine saves throughout the game, seven of which were during the first half.

That being said, the Bulldogs still scored first, with a penalty corner at the 32 minute mark. Hettie Whittington ’27 slid a pass to Ellie Barlow ’25 near the post, and she was able to convert that into the first goal of the game. This rounds out Barlow’s goals for the season to a career-high five.

The Lions found an answer not long after and were able to score two goals in quick succession of one another, giving them a 1–2 lead by the 41 minute mark. However, the Bulldogs made quick work of responding, with Victoria Collee ’28 firing a shot past the Lions’ keeper to even the score before the start of the fourth quarter. This was Collee’s fourth goal of her first-year campaign.

Chiara Picciafuoco ’28 was almost able to give the Elis the lead early in the fourth quarter, but her shot deflected off the post.

The Columbia offense was able to convert a blocked shot into a go-ahead goal with seven minutes remaining. The Bulldogs spent most of the remainder of the game on offense but couldn’t quite come up with a goal.

Six of the last seven games between the Bulldogs and the Lions have been decided by one goal or shootout. With the loss, the Bulldogs fell to 9–5 and 3–3 in conference play. 

After the tough blow on Friday, the Bulldogs had to turn around and face No. 19 Temple (9–7, 4–2 Big East) on Sunday. This was the final home game of the regular season for Yale.

The last time these two teams met at their inaugural matchup, Yale beat the Owls 1–0. Now, they were ready to do it again.

The first half was all Ymre Massée ’28. The first year who had the first goal of her career against Lehigh and the second against Dartmouth, doubled her career statistics in this one game.

At 9:36 in the first quarter, Whittington passed the ball to Massée, who quickly turned to face the goal and get the ball out from next to her stick. She then flung it high past the soaring, defensive arms of the Temple goalie, securing the first goal of the game for the Bulldogs. On a sunny October day, the crowd immediately got on their feet.

Shortly after the second quarter began, the first years went to work. At 17:37, an assist from Collee found Massée’s swinging stick, notching yet another goal for Yale early in the game. 

This would not be the final goal. 

In the fourth period, Julia Freedman ’25 was able to make yet another victory lap around the Owls using Whittington’s second assist of the game. Freedman deflected the ball into the back of the net off a penalty corner at 56:07.

This put the game out of reach for the Owls, concluding shortly after with a Bulldog home victory 3–0. This was the first top–20 win of the season for Yale.

Lauren Venter ’26 told the News that the win was necessary to propel the team forward before facing No. 13 Princeton (11–4, 6–0 Ivy).

“Our win over Temple was the team win we needed,” she said. “We stepped onto the field focused and took care of business. It was the perfect tune-up before facing Princeton, and we’ll bring the same must-win mentality into that game.”

Looking to secure a bid for the Ivy League tournament, Yale plays their final game of the regular season against Princeton on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 12 p.m in New Jersey.

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The Elis almost got on the scoreboard with a near-post shot by Joe Farouz ’27, but the attempt was squashed by the Princeton goalkeeper at the seven-minute mark. This was the Bulldogs’ only attempt on goal for the remainder of the game.

“It was definitely a tough one this weekend. In this sport though, and especially with the way our season is structured, we have to learn and move on from these types of games quickly,” Aydin Jay ’26 wrote to the News. “Our focus is on just getting better each day we are together, which will ultimately prepare us well for this weekend against Penn.”

The competition ended 0–1, with Princeton able to maintain the lead from their early goal. Goalkeeper Chris Edwards ’25 was able to save two more attempts by the opposition to keep the loss within one goal.

The Bulldogs fell to 1–4–0 in conference play with the loss, and this was Princeton’s first win over Yale since 2021. 

“This weekend was an example of the game coming down to a matter of moments. We played well, but ultimately found ourselves on the wrong end of a given moment that cost us,” Jay wrote. “We are learning to refine our game in order to limit these types of moments, and ultimately go out there and put out a full 90-minute performance this upcoming weekend, which I know we are capable of doing.”

The Bulldogs return to New Haven to face Penn (11–2–1, 5–0–0 Ivy) on Saturday, Nov 2., for senior night. In order to turn things around, the team will need to beef up their offensive strategy and get some points on the board.

The matchup against the Quakers is the penultimate game of the season for the Elis, who will travel to Brown for their final game on Nov. 9.

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Olympic gold medalist and Yale Crew alum Dan Williamson ’23 is returning to New Haven as the newest member of the team’s coaching staff. 

“More important than the results of the squad is the experience that the oarsmen and coxswains have during their time here because that stays with you much longer than the four years in which you row for this team,” Williamson wrote to the News. “I have never come across a team culture that is quite like Yale’s and hope to continue to facilitate an environment in which the athletes can thrive in all facets of their lives.”

Williamson, who rowed with the upperclassmen of the current team, had a monumental career at Yale and in higher categories. The native of Auckland, New Zealand, was the first ever oarsman to sit in the stroke seat of the winning Varsity 8 boat as a first year. He was also a member of the winning 2019 and 2022 IRA National Championship crews. 

During his time as the first-year stroke seat, the team had an undefeated season, winning not only the 2019 IRA National Championships but also the four-mile race versus Harvard, the Eastern Sprints and Ivy League Championship. They also won all regular-season cup races.

“I loved my time at Yale and being a part of the crew team here was the most important phase of my athletic career – without learning from my teammates and coaches at Yale I wouldn’t have had a successful Olympic career – so in that sense it is special to be back,” Williamson wrote.  

In 2022, Williamson sat in the stroke of the Bulldog’s first varsity boat and led the team to a silver medal finish at the IRA National Championships. In the same year, they once again went undefeated in regular season cup races and won the four-mile race against Harvard while setting a course record.

“Having Dan on the coaching staff is definitely going to boost morale and give a different perspective to the athletes,” Drew Cavanaugh ’26 wrote to the News. “It is not very often someone with the pedigree Dan has come into the coaching world so having his knowledge and experience on our side is going to be extremely helpful.”

During his final year as a Bulldog, Williamson was a part of the crew that helped Yale clinch their seventh consecutive Eastern Sprints title and Ivy League Championship. To cement a colossal collegiate career, Williamson was honored with the William Neely Mallory Award, one of Yale Athletics’ most prestigious accolades. This award is given to the male senior who, “on the field of play and in life at Yale, best represents the greatest ideals of Yale tradition and American sportsmanship.”

“It’s fantastic, really. He’s obviously an incredible oarsman himself and having been in a boat with him my sophomore year, I was confident that he would be a very talented coach as well,” Coxswain Thomas Allen ’25 wrote to the News. “So far that’s been true. I think it has been a pretty seamless transition from peer to coach given the amount of respect he garnered while he was still here.” 

Williamson found great success outside of collegiate athletics, as well. 

He competed in both the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and the recent 2024 Paris Games for New Zealand. At the games in Tokyo, Williamson won a gold medal in the men’s eight and was the youngest member of that crew. He was also the only oarsman in all categories to win an Olympic gold medal while still participating in competition at the NCAA/USA university level. This was New Zealand’s first gold medal in the event for almost 50 years.

In addition to his Olympic and collegiate success, Williamson is a four-time New Zealand National Champion. He earned a silver medal at the 2017 World Rowing Championships, two silver medals at the 2021 New Zealand National Championship and a bronze medal at the 2018 World Rowing Under-23 Championships.

“Of course success on the water is going to be a huge part of what motivates us as a team; everyone on this team wants to get every boat back on the dias at Eastern Sprints and our National Championship Regatta, and keep our bow ahead of Harvard’s every chance we get,” Williamson told the News. “We are already on that path – coaches Genarro and LaLiberte have a clear direction of where this team is going and how we are going to get there and I cannot wait to support them in that endeavor.” 

He joins the team as the Bulldogs host their first home race of the season, the Head of the Housatonic this past weekend. The team will travel to Boston, Mass., for the Head of the Charles next weekend. 

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Harvard entered the game undefeated in the Ivy League and on a five game winning streak. 

The Crimson grabbed the lead just before the end of the first quarter, with a goal at the 13 minute mark securing a 0–1 lead. In the second quarter, the Crimson netted two more goals within seven minutes of each other to take a commanding 0–3 lead. 

Lauren Venter ’26 finally put Yale on the scoreboard in the 41st minute, deflecting a long pass from Hettie Whittington ’27 to bring the score to 1–3. This was Venter’s third goal of the season, tripling her total from last year. Despite their early goals, Harvard was held scoreless for the entire second half of the game as the Bulldogs’ defense held steady.

Neither team had a shot on goal in the final quarter, and the Bulldogs fell to the Crimson with a final score of 1–3. This was Harvard’s twelfth straight Ivy League regular season win. The Crimson had a 12–7 shot advantage, and this game was only the second time this season Yale allowed more than two goals.

With this loss, the Bulldogs fell to 1–2 in the Ivy League, putting them in a four-way tie with Columbia, Cornell and UPenn for fourth place in the conference.

After the tough defeat in Cambridge, the Bulldogs quickly turned around to face Monmouth at their home field in West Long Branch, New Jersey. 

Before the team ventured to the Jersey Shore, Head Coach Melissa Gonzalez wanted to ensure her team reflected on their successes against the Crimson.

“I want our team to recognize the competitive moments we had against a talented top ten opponent,” she wrote to the News. “It’s important to take away those lessons and apply them in practice this week and for the rest of season.”

This was the first ever matchup between Monmouth and Yale. Monmouth returned home to this contest on a three-game losing streak: one the Bulldogs looked to extend.

Gonzalez wanted her team to understand the Hawks as a unit, but also focus on their own game plan.

“Going into Monmouth, our strategy focused on understanding their tendencies and how they aligned with our own style of play,” she wrote. “While we always assess each opponent we play against, our core playing principles remain consistent but flexible in application.”

Once on the pitch, the first and second quarters were relatively quiet. Although both sides forced the goalies to make saves, neither could find the back of the net before the half rolled around.

Whatever Monmouth Head Coach Carli Figlio told her team during the break seemed to resonate because Bulldog goalkeeper Alexa Pitts ’25 immediately had her work cut out for her once back on the field. She made two saves within the first two minutes of the third quarter before a penalty corner gave the Hawks the momentum they needed to sink the first goal of the game. 

Not long after, another penalty corner awarded Monmouth a second opportunity to extend their lead, pushing past Pitts’ steady defense and driving a goal home. Within only two minutes, the Hawks had established a 0–2 lead.

Despite multiple penalty corners for Yale, no one on the Bulldogs’ offense could muster a goal before the end of the third quarter came to a close.

At the start of the fourth quarter, around 51 minutes into the game, Yale put immense pressure on Monmouth’s defense, pummeling them with consecutive shots. After her first shot missed high, Poppy Beales ’26 took advantage of an assist from Victoria Collee ’28 and cut the deficit in half, 1–2.

The Elis’ offense continued to batter the Hawks with shot after shot as the clock ticked down. With less than 20 seconds left in the game, a shot by Emma Ramsey ’27 appeared to even the score, sending fans at “So Sweet A Cat” Field to their feet. However, it just bounced off the crossbar of the goal, and the Hawks’ defense was able to corral the ball long enough to win.

The final score ended in a loss for the Bulldogs, 1–2, but the Bulldogs are keeping their heads high. 

“We will use it to fuel us into our Friday game,” Colette Staadecker ’25 wrote to the News. “We are working to play our game. It is important to keep it simple and stay composed in our circles.”

Yale Field Hockey stays home this weekend to host Cornell University (3–6, 1–2 Ivy) on Friday, Oct. 11 at 6 p.m.

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The Bulldogs (6–2, 1–1 Ivy) edged past the University of Pennsylvania (1–7, 0–2 Ivy) on Friday at Johnson Field in a thrilling overtime game. On Sunday, the Bulldogs took down Quinnipiac University (2–8, 0–2 Big East). With these two victories, Yale’s overall record of 6–2 is the team’s best start since 1998.

“This season, we’re on a mission to rewrite the history books and take down the Ivy teams that beat us last year,” Hettie Whittington ’27 wrote to the News. “Penn was the first—now we have five more regular season games to set things right.” 

On Friday, the Quakers struck first, with a goal sending them up 0–1 just before the 15 minute mark. Poppy Beales ’26 hit back at the 26 minute mark, tying the game 1–1. Beales received a long pass from Captain Keely Comizio ’25, before firing a shot past the Penn goalkeeper.

With six minutes left in regulation, Colette Staadecker ’25 had a critical save, deflecting a Penn penalty corner, and the game went into extra time.

Just over five minutes into overtime, Beales caught a pass from Chiara Picciafuoco ’28 in stride and backhanded the ball straight past the Quaker’s goalkeeper, winning the game for the Bulldogs 2–1.

Beales now has five career game-winning goals, all in the last 13 games. 

“I try to keep my mentality the same for every game,” Beales wrote to the News. “But I think for conference games there’s always more of a competitiveness to win so that helps me do my part on the pitch and hopefully score!”

This is the fifth time in seven games the Elis have held an opponent to one or no goals, highlighting their strong defense. Yale held Penn scoreless the final 51:20 of the game.

Whittington wrote to the News on the team’s mindset for the remainder of the regular season as they prepare to take on #11 Harvard on Oct. 4.

“Every game in the Ivy League will be a battle; nothing is guaranteed. As a team, we talk a lot about how we can control the game’s momentum and stay consistent for the full 60 minutes. On Friday, we didn’t play our best, but we still found a way to win,” she wrote. “The next step for us is to deliver our best performance across all four quarters, and I believe if we do that, we have a real shot at upsetting #11 Harvard.”

Following their match against Penn, the team only had one day to rest before turning to face Quinnipiac on Sunday, Sept. 29. Head Coach Melissa Gonzalez wanted to ensure that her team made the most of their off day, prioritizing “recovery and growth.”

“Regardless of outcomes, we stick to our processes, which include reviewing film, participating in active release sessions and performing targeted exercises on pitch,” Gonzalez wrote. “We’ve found that this structure has helped us maintain our performance while preparing effectively for our matches.”

The next day, the Bobcats traveled down to New Haven. The Bobcats have been unsuccessful in their matchup against the Bulldogs three years in a row, having not won a game since 2021.

The first period put both team’s defenses on display. Although the amount of shots taken by Yale significantly outnumbered their opponent’s, neither team could close in on the goal. Then, Lily Ramsey ’25, weaving through defenders, passed to newcomer Victoria Collee ’28, who drove the ball home. Going into the half, the Bulldogs held a tight lead, 1–0.

The third period showcased the Bulldogs’ offensive prowess. After being granted a penalty stroke, Whittington secured a 2–0 lead for Yale when her shot escaped the reach of the Bobcat goalie. Not long after, another first-year, Picciafuoco, got her opportunity to extend the Yale lead with her second goal of the season. Finally, to cap off the roar of Bulldogs capitalizing on offensive momentum, a turnover and drive down the field by Beales led to a 4–0 lead when she passed to teammate Lauren Venter ’26, whose shot passed by the goalie much too fast to save. 

Although the Bobcats would rally the troops and score twice before the game ended, it could not offset the powerhouse that was the third period. 

Comizio wrote to the News that the key to a high-scoring period is trusting that success will come and relying on each other.

“We stayed consistent with our play and never got down,” she wrote. “We knew the goals would come eventually, so we just kept pushing. We focused on encouraging each other and maintaining our effort.”

After the weekend, the Ivy League named Beales as Offensive Player of the Week. With her two goals against Penn and her assist against Quinnipiac, she now has 12 points on the season, placing her second overall in the Ivy League.

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At the six minute mark, Aydin Jay ’26 took the Bulldogs’ first shot on goal, but the Sacred Heart goalkeeper found the save to keep the game scoreless. The game would remain that way for another 30 minutes until TJ Presthus ’25 headed a corner kick from Jonathan Seidman ’25 just inside the far post, giving the Bulldogs the lead. Goalie Chris Edwards ’25 kept the Pioneers scoreless through the rest of the first half, securing the Elis’ 1–0 lead going into the second period of play.

Following the half, Joseph Farouz ’27 worked his way through the Sacred Heart defense before passing the ball over to fellow sophomore, Simon Adjakple ’27, who swiftly found the back of the net, extending the Bulldogs’ lead to 2–0. 

The Pioneers answered only 10 minutes later, with a goal off a rebound that snuck past Edwards, thinning the Bulldogs’ lead to 2–1.

The Bulldogs on offense, however, were not finished. Fifteen minutes later Farouz fired a shot past the Pioneer’s goalie, extending the Elis lead to 3–1. Five minutes after that, Jay slotted a low shot into the goal, with the SHU goalie diving, but failing to grab the ball. This cemented a 4–1 lead and was Jay’s first career goal.

At the 81 minute mark, the Pioneers attempted to strike back, but goalie Edwards put a stop to it, and the game saw no more goals. The Bulldogs won decisively, securing their first win after four losses and one tie to start the rocky season.

“We definitely needed a night like this, and seeing the results of our work as a team will propel us into more solid performances, I know it,” Jay wrote to the News.

Yale now leads the series with SHU 6–3–3, and the win broke the Pioneers four game winning streak. Yale’s first goal marked the first time the Pioneers had allowed a goal in over 400 minutes, with SHU previously shutting out their last four opponents.

When asked about takeaways they can apply to upcoming Ivy League play, Alex Umana  ’26 replied, “We’ve learned that no game will be handed to us, regardless of the opponent. It takes hard work, and every match is physical.The team understands that if we mentally prepare and give our all for 90 minutes, we’ll be ready for our Ivy opener against Cornell at home.”

The Bulldogs mounted an away campaign against Quinnipiac (2–4–1) on Tuesday, Sept. 24, before beginning Ivy League play against Cornell (4–0–2) on Saturday, Sept. 28, on home turf at Reese Stadium.

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The Pioneers scored first, with a shot finding the net just past the three minute mark. However, the Elis were undeterred, hitting back with a goal off a penalty corner from Ellie Barlow ’25 less than five minutes later. 

Barlow continued to gain momentum and hammered home another goal 15 minutes later, also from a penalty corner, giving the Bulldogs a 2–1 lead. This was the first time in Barlow’s career where she scored two goals in a single game.

Sophomore Emma Ramsey ’27 put points on the board for the first time in her Yale career with an assist from Lauren Venter ’26. Ramsey was done scoring for the game but assisted on two additional goals from first year Victoria Collee ’28. Those two shots were Collee’s first career goals, making the game personally monumental for multiple players. With Collee’s point added to the total, the Bulldogs had a commanding 5–1 lead with ten minutes left on the clock. 

The Pioneers were unable to answer, and as time ran out, the Bulldogs stayed on top.

The Bulldogs then headed to Storrs, Conn. to face their in-state rival No. 14 UConn, the alma mater of Head Coach Melissa Gonzalez.

The game began with an aggressive tear on the Yale front, striking seven times and forcing the Huskies’ goalkeeper Natalie McKenna to make five saves within the first ten minutes. Despite outnumbering UConn with shots taken on goal, the Huskies were nevertheless able to put up the first point of the game at 12:14 in the first period. 

As the second period rolled around, Yale’s opportunities to inch toward the goal dwindled. Only one Bulldog, Chiara Picciafuoco ’28, took a shot in the entire second period. Meanwhile, the Huskies, who had five shots within the fifteen minute period, were able to capitalize on this advantage. At 28:04 in the game, a goal by Madi Herb just snuck by Eli goalkeeper Alexa Pitts ’25, sending the Bulldogs down 2–0 going into the third period.

Quickly, Yale needed to reduce the deficit. With assists from Picciafuoco and Venter, Poppy Beales ’26 sent her third goal of the season into the net, cutting the lead in half, 2–1. This did not come without retaliation from the Huskies. About two minutes later, UConn struck again, sending the game into the final quarter with a score of 3–1. 

At the start of the fourth quarter, a penalty corner from Barlow and a pass from captain Keely Comizio ’25 to Hettie Whittington ’27 led to the Bulldogs’ second goal of the game. This was Whittington’s third goal of the season. Trailing by just one goal, the Elis continued to seek their biggest potential win of the season. As the time dwindled, however, the Huskies’ defense tightened up, clinging onto victory.

The game ended with UConn just pulling away with the win, 3–2.

When asked about the loss, Venter told the News, “It was a tough game, but it was some of the best hockey we’ve ever played,” she said. “Despite losing, team morale has never been higher, and we are so excited to get into Ivy League play.”

Despite the defeat, the Bulldogs’ efforts led to their newly updated NCAA ranking, slotting them at No. 22. The Bulldogs were previously unranked. UConn, on the other hand, moved to No. 7.

The Bulldogs return home to Johnson Field for their first in-conference game of the season against Penn on Friday, Sept. 27, at 4 p.m.

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The Bulldogs scored with a rebound off of the opposing goalie’s pads from senior Lily Ramsey ’25 in the game’s first minute. 

The rest of the game was a defensive masterclass from the Elis, with Fairfield’s having a 10–7 shot advantage throughout the game. Despite the Stags’ 11 penalty corners, the Bulldogs held strong with help from goalie Alexa Pitts ’25, who had her first career shutout. Fairfield’s last chance at scoring came from a corner in the final 15 seconds of the game, but due to the Bulldogs’ tough defense, they sent the ball out of bounds as the clock expired. Ramsey’s goal in the opening 30 seconds remained the only point on the board.

Pitts wrote to the News about the team’s mindset during defensive games. “There definitely wasn’t a mentality switch in the game on Friday,” she wrote. “The mentality is always to play as a team, support each other and play our game.”

This was the fourth straight game against the Stags, which was decided by one goal, but the first in which  Yale came out victorious. This was the first of four games against rival Connecticut teams. The Bulldogs will face Sacred Heart (2–4, 1–0 NEC), Quinnipiac (2–4, 0–0 Big East) and UConn (5–1, 0–0 Big East), ranked 16th, later in the yearly campaign.

Head Coach Melissa Gonzalez wrote to the News about her team’s ability to grow. 

“As the season progresses, I hope we see continued growth in both our attacking and defensive strategies,” Gonzalez wrote. “Our team is incredibly coachable and receptive to feedback, which sets a strong foundation for improvement.”

That Sunday, the undefeated Bulldogs played their first Ivy League matchup of the season against Brown University (1–3, 1–0 Ivy) at home at Yale’s Johnson Field. Yale sought their seventh straight win against the Bears. 

The battle proved to be hot and intense, both in outside temperature — with spectators fanning themselves in the stands — and in fervor on the field. 

Despite multiple shots on goal from each team, the first half remained scoreless. At the start of the third period, about 35 seconds in, Hettie Whittington ’27 received a pass from teammate Poppy Beales ’26 and scored, putting the Elis up by one. Yale found themselves able to maintain this lead going into the fourth quarter, thanks to a save by Pitts.

However, the Bulldogs were not out of the dark just yet. Just five minutes before the end of the regular period, Brown tied the game with a goal by Juliette Meijaard, sending the match into overtime. 

Though both teams put up a strong fight, the first overtime ended with nothing to show for it. As the second overtime rolled around, the question of which team could pull through and secure victory remained.

At 70:53 in the game, a yellow card on Beales awarded a penalty corner for the Bears, giving them the opportunity to score. With a goal by Brown’s Katie McCallum, the Bulldogs took their first loss of the season in a devastatingly hard-fought battle.

Gonzalez wrote to the News about her team’s execution.

“We were impressed by our team’s ability to maintain possession and implement the press,” Gonzalez wrote. “We created quality team opportunities from these two areas. We look forward to building on this performance throughout the remainder of the season.”

The Bulldogs remain at home to face Sacred Heart University on Friday, Sept. 20. 

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