March 26, 2008
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - There were some new names making appearances in the box score for No. 14 Yale Wednesday afternoon, and that was a good thing. The Bulldogs grabbed control of their game against winless UConn early, outscoring the Huskies 7-0 in the first 15 minutes. By the time all was said and done in the 18-3 Yale victory, 24 players had seen action and 10 had scored goals. Sophomore attacker Lindsey DeMarco, freshman defender/midfielder Kaitlyn Flatley and freshman midfielder Ariana Papier all had their first career tallies.
This was a season high in goals for Yale and the fewest goals UConn has scored in a game since a 13-3 loss to BU seven years ago. Senior goalkeeper Ellen Cameron made nine saves.
"It was nice to be able to control the flow of the game," said Laura Field, Yale's Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse. "We got draw controls and we were able to turn the ball over on the ride. We also had a chance to get some rest for our starters while giving kids we know are going to be the future of Yale lacrosse a chance to play."
Yale (6-3) left little chance for UConn (0-8) to think of getting its first win of the season. A turnover in the midfield caused by senior midfielder Kat Peetz enabled senior midfielder Lauren Taylor to start Yale's scoring spree with an unassisted goal two minutes into the game. Five minutes later, a goal by junior midfielder Linden Ellis, set up by junior midfielder Jenn Warden, started a stretch in which Yale scored three times in three minutes. Peetz and Taylor accounted for the other Bulldog goals, including a precision free-position shot by Peetz in which she buried the ball in the upper right corner of the cage just before UConn keeper Jenna Moulton could get her crosse up there.
Meanwhile, Cameron was in control at the other end of the field, making a pair of saves on attacker Kim McGinty on shots just outside the crease. Cameron kept that level of focus going all the way until the end of the game, when she denied a shot from right in front by UConn attacker Lauren Gunning to finish off the dominant defensive effort. This was the second time in five games Yale limited its opponent to three goals.
"Ellen's point-blank save at the end of the game was indicative of how she has been playing lately," Field said. "She sets the tone. In many ways our attack hinges on how Ellen plays. They love to see her make big saves."
Yale had another scoring spurt, this one three goals in two minutes, midway through the first. Sophomore attacker Jessica Sturgill fed junior midfielder Taylor Fragapane for the first. After Warden added an unassisted goal with a quick sidearm shot, Ellis scored on a Fragapane assist to make it 7-0 at the 14:42 mark. That prompted a UConn timeout.
The Huskies finally solved Cameron when attacker Katie Devaney scored off a free position at 13:38. A pair of unassisted goals by Warden followed. After a free-position goal by UConn's Katie Parker, Fragapane (assisted by sophomore attacker Jessica Sturgill) and Taylor scored again to make it 11-2 heading into halftime. Fragapane, Taylor and Warden would each finish with three goals.
Fragapane's goal off an Ellis assist two minutes into the second half made the margin 10, so the clock kept running. The Bulldogs ensured it would keep running even while making full use of their bench, including the varsity debut for freshman midfielder Myra Trivellas. After goals by Sturgill and senior attacker Meredith Callahan extended the lead to 14-2, DeMarco got her first career tally at 13:59. A goal by UConn's Laura Eichert followed to end the six-goal run for the Bulldogs.
Flatley, who has made an instant impact for Yale at the defensive end of the field, got the chance to showcase her offensive ability in the final minutes of this game. She deposited a pass from sophomore midfielder Sydney Schreppler with 5:43 left for her first career goal and Schreppler's first career point.
DeMarco assisted on Papier's goal with 4:09 to play, then added another goal of her own off a Papier assist with 1:53 remaining to conclude the scoring.
The offensive outburst comes at a much-needed time. The Bulldogs host Harvard Saturday (1:00 p.m.), and the Crimson averages more than 14 goals per game. Yale had not scored more than 11 goals in a game this season until Wednesday.
"Harvard is a big test," Field said. "They are putting up some big numbers."
The game will be broadcast on WYBC 1340 AM and there will be a postgame reception for all Yale women's lacrosse alumnae.
report by Sam Rubin '95 (sam.rubin@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity