Feb. 26, 2007

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FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Junior midfielder Lauren Taylor has led Yale in goals and points in each of her first two seasons, and on Monday afternoon she got a head start on 2007. Taylor, a third team preseason All-America pick, racked up six goals and three assists for a career-high nine points as Yale beat Fairfield 14-7 Monday afternoon on a snowy Alumni Field.

The start of the game was moved up an hour as a concession to the wintry conditions. Several inches of snow had fallen earlier in the day, but the artificial turf was plowed and the game got underway under cloudy skies and a temperature not far above freezing. The Bulldogs quickly established control, with Taylor connecting on a free-position shot at the 28:18 mark.

At the 25:38 mark Taylor scored again, and 90 seconds after that she fed freshman attacker Jessica Sturgill from behind the net for Sturgill's first career goal. Sophomore defenseman Jenn Warden was the beneficiary of Taylor's next assist 45 seconds later.

Junior attacker Meredith Callahan finally gave Yale a non-Taylor goal at 18:48, creating her own shot after getting the ball behind the net. Taylor then assisted on the next goal, by junior midfielder Kat Peetz, and scored one off a Warden assist to put the Bulldogs up 7-0 17 minutes into the game.

"Lauren really stepped up," said Amanda O'Leary, Yale's Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse. "She took the 1v1s when she had them and she distributed the ball when she needed to. That's exactly the way we'd like to see her play all year."

A failed clear by the Bulldogs allowed Fairfield's Mary Vallely to get Fairfield within 7-1 shortly before the half, but junior goalie Ellen Cameron quickly re-established control with a save on a free-position shot by Amy Kelleher and a stop of Abbey Goodwin shortly thereafter. With 2:30 to play Cameron denied Katie von Hoffman, and Sarah Masterson shoveled the rebound of that shot wide.

The cold, damp conditions then turned to snowy conditions as the sun set and the second half began. The Stags scored the first goal but the Bulldogs kept a safe distance between the two teams thanks to three more goals from Taylor along with tallies by Peetz, Sturgill, senior attacker Marya Myers and freshman attacker Jenna Block. Block, Callahan and sophomore attacker Lawrie Peck all added assists.

"Offensively, we worked well off the ball," O'Leary said. "We have to work on our settled attack, but we scored on transitions and fast breaks when we had them. Defensively we played very well, though I'd like to see us be more aggressive with the double teams."

Taylor's six goals were the most by a Bulldog since sophomore midfielder Sara Greenberg scored six in Yale's 12-9 win against Cal last Apr. 16. Taylor had seven goals and eight points, her previous career high in points, in Yale's 15-8 win over New Hampshire Mar. 8.

Cameron finished with seven saves, allowing four goals before giving way to senior Casey Littlefield (two saves) for the final 4:31. Junior defenseman Jess Champion's four caused turnovers led Yale defensively.

Fairfield (0-2) got 13 saves from Lauren Chatnik.

Yale returns to action Wednesday at UConn (4:00 p.m.).

report by Sam Rubin '95 (sam.rubin@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity