Wilcox Makes 10 Saves To Post Second Straight Shutout

HANOVER, N.H. – Goals have been hard to come by for the Yale women's soccer team recently so that made the events Saturday at Dartmouth all the more frustrating.

The Bulldogs thought they had scored with 15 minutes left in the first half. Melissa Gavin sent a corner kick into the box that deflected toward the goal. A Dartmouth defender cleared it away just before it crossed the line, at least according to the referees. Yale players in the area believed it was behind the line and should have been a goal.

Just a few minutes later, the Bulldogs were awarded a penalty kick, but Gavin's shot sailed over the net.

In the end, Yale was never able to score and was forced to settle for a scoreless tie with the Big Green.

It was the fourth straight game the Bulldogs have been held without a goal.

"We're trying different formations, different personnel," said frustrated Yale head coach Rudy Meredith. "We are not creating enough chances, and we need to be more composed when we do have opportunities."

Goalkeeper Elise Wilcox was again outstanding for the Bulldogs. Wilcox, who earned CollegeSportsMadness Ivy League Player of the Week honors after shutting out Harvard last Saturday, finished with 10 saves against the Big Green.

"Elise was unbelievable," Meredith said. "It was one of the best goalkeeping performances I've seen. I called her Wonder Woman after the game."

The Big Green (3-3-4 overall) outshot the Bulldogs 16-7 in the game. The margin, though, was 13-3 at the end of regulation. Yale had a 4-3 edge in shots in the two, 10-minute overtime periods.

"Dartmouth is a very good team," Meredith said. "They played with good pace and athleticism. We couldn't find our rhythm in the final third."

All three of Dartmouth's Ivy League games so far this fall have ended in ties, while Yale has now tied two of its three league games.

The Bulldogs (5-3-2, 0-1-2 Ivy) take a break from league play and meet Central Connecticut on Monday. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.

Report filed by Tim Bennett (timothy.bennett@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity