Nolan Gets Game-Winner

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Yale field hockey team ended its season on a high note Saturday afternoon, beating Brown 3-2 in overtime at Goldberger Family Field. Sophomore midfielder Kelsey Nolan got the game-winner on a penalty stroke.

Brown (9-8, 1-6 Ivy League) took an early lead on a goal by forward Hannah Rogers less than eight minutes in. Yale (3-14, 1-6 Ivy League) evened things up late in the first half, as junior midfielder Nicole Wells one-timed a cross from senior back Megan Kirkham in at 26:33.

The Bulldogs took the lead four minutes into the second on a penalty corner. Wells inserted to the stick stopper Kirkham, and freshman midfielder Carol Middough shot the ball in for a 2-1 lead at 38:57.

Yale kept that lead for nearly 20 minutes, but Brown got the equalizer on a penalty corner of its own with 12:37 left in the game. Midfielder Alexis Miller tied the score 2-2, and it remained that way through the end of regulation.

The Bulldogs seized control in the overtime period, however, outshooting the Bears 8-0 and out-cornering them 4-0 in the extra frame. Ultimately, the game turned after Kirkham took the ball away from a Brown player deep in Yale's end. She worked it ahead on the left side to Wells at midfield, and Wells got it up to freshman midfielder/forward Lily Smith. Smith was taken out by a Brown defender at the top of the circle on the fast break, giving the Bulldogs a stroke.

Nolan timed the release of her shot so that Brown goalkeeper Shannon McSweeney committed towards the low right corner, and Nolan was able to push the ball past her towards the left corner for the winner at 78:47.

McSweeney finished with 14 saves, while senior goalkeeper Heather Schlesier had eight for the Bulldogs. She and her fellow seniors -- Kirkham, forward Jessie Accurso and forward Grace McInerney -- ended their careers victorious.

"This was a great team effort," said Pam Stuper, Yale's Caroline Ruth Thompson '02 Head Coach of Field Hockey. "It wasn't pretty, but we found a way to win. It says a lot about this team that, even though our won-lost record for the season entering this game was obviously disappointing, our players kept battling."

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