Back Scores Second Goal of the Weekend

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. - Her defensive skills are the primary reason that sophomore back Erin Carter has started 22 straight games for Yale. But when given the chance to take a shot, Carter has the ability to provide some offense as well. On Sunday at Hofstra, she scored on a penalty stroke for the second time in as many games, and that goal proved to be the game winner in the Bulldogs' 2-1 win.

"We've got five good strokers and I can put any one of them in," said head coach Pam Stuper, who called on Carter for the stroke at the 13:35 mark of the first after a scramble in front of the Hofstra goal. "Erin did well with the last one (scoring Saturday at Princeton). She's got a powerful shot."

Carter, who has already surpassed her goal total from a year ago with three so far this season, also helped the Bulldogs limit the Pride to only three shots in the first half.

Still, it looked like Yale (5-3) would only have a one-goal lead heading into halftime until the Bulldogs got their seventh penalty corner. Senior back Julia Weiser sent a hard shot past Hofstra keeper Meredith Golden off assists by senior midfielder Katie Cantore and junior back Marissa Waldemore.

Cantore now has 10 assists on the season, tying her for fifth on Yale's single-season list. With nine games remaining she is well on pace to break the school's single-season record (14).

Hofstra (5-5) adjusted at halftime and outshot the Bulldogs 10-2 in the second half, but could not get one past Yale junior goalkeeper Katie Bolling until midfielder Genna Kovar scored at 61:03. That was the only shot of the game for Kovar, the team's leading scorer, thanks largely to Carter's defensive work in shutting her down.

The Bulldogs, who faced a long weekend of travel back-and-forth from New Haven on I-95 after Saturday's game at Princeton, hung on for the win thanks in part to some key subs.

"Kirsten Krebs did a nice job, filling in and playing well at both midfield and forward," said Stuper. "With all the travel and traffic, the kids did a really good job of being prepared for this game."

Yale resumes Ivy League play vs. Cornell next Saturday at Noon. The Big Red improved to 7-0 on the season and 2-0 in the league with a 2-1 overtime win over Columbia Saturday.

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