April 11, 2007

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NEW YORK, N.Y. - No. 12 Yale ran its winning streak to seven games with a 16-12 win over Columbia at Wien Stadium Wednesday afternoon, powered by a seven-goal, nine-point performance from junior midfielder Lauren Taylor. The Bulldogs had two runs -- a five-goal run in the first half and a six-goal run in the second half -- that helped put away the Lions.

Yale (11-3, 4-1 Ivy) scored the first two goals of the game, by junior midfielder Kat Peetz and senior attacker Lara Melniker off assists from junior attacker Meredith Callahan. But Columbia (4-8, 0-5 Ivy) fought back to score the next three. The Lions had a chance to increase their lead when they forced a Yale turnover, but Melniker got the ball right back with a caused turnover and Taylor then scored her first goal of the day.

That goal came at the 21:03 mark, and within the next seven minutes the Bulldogs tacked on four more. First, Taylor took a feed from Melniker and skimmed one along the ground past Columbia goalkeeper Emma Mintz. After an unassisted goal by Peetz, sophomore defenseman Jenn Warden set up senior attacker Marya Myers to make it 6-3 Yale, and Taylor then scored on a free-position shot.

The Lions scored twice after the Yale run to pull within two, but Taylor then drew a double-team and passed to Callahan to make it 8-5. After another Columbia goal, sophomore midfielder Linden Ellis (from Callahan) and Taylor (on a free-position shot) made it 10-6 Yale at the half.

Columbia scored the first goal of the second half, and could have made it even closer had junior goalkeeper Ellen Cameron not come up with a save on a free-position shot by Kate Lombard right after that. Lombard did score with 22:01 left to pull the Lions within two, but then Taylor intercepted a clear attempt and deposited her fifth goal of the game.

That wound up sparking another run, though not before Cameron had to deny another Lombard free-position attempt. Taylor then reeled off two more unassisted goals. Warden notched one to extend her goal-scoring streak to 18 games, and Taylor then set up Myers off a free-position attempt. Peetz capped the scoring spree with a goal with 5:22 to play that made it 16-8 and started a string of substitutions for the Bulldogs.

Columbia tacked on four goals in the final 2:34 to make the score 16-12.

Cameron, who had been under the weather, finished with nine saves while Mintz had five.

Seven goals ties Taylor's career high, set in a 15-8 win over New Hampshire Mar. 8, 2006. Nine points ties her career high in that category, set in the 14-7 win at Fairfield Feb. 26. She has a 14-game goal-scoring streak and 22-game point scoring streak going.

As a team the Bulldogs are within striking distance of the school record for regular season wins, 13, set back in 2003. That team then tacked on one more win in the NCAA tournament.

Yale travels to Brown for a 4:00 p.m. game next Wednesday.

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