Second Game Of Doubleheader With Yale Men

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale women's soccer team begins the 2014 season by hosting local rival Quinnipiac on Friday night. Kickoff at Reese Stadium is slated for 7:30 p.m., following the Yale-Sacred Heart men's game.

Video of the game will be available on the Ivy League Digital Network. It will be part of a free opening weekend for the network, which begins its second year. There also will be live stats.

Here are storylines for the opener.

• The Bulldogs have won five straight season openers. Their last loss came in overtime at UConn to start the 2008 season.

• Yale returns a pair of first team All-Ivy selection in seniors Meredith Speck, the team captain, and Melissa Gavin. Speck is coming off a season that saw her split time between defense and forward. She finished 2013 with five assists, which tied her for eighth in the Ivy League. Speck, who is the team captain this fall, has started 40 games during her career. Gavin was one of the top scoring threats in the league last year. She tied for the league lead with 26 points and 11 goals. Her 11 goals tied for the eighth most in a season in school history, while her 26 points tied for the sixth most. She has scored 20 goals during her time at Yale.

• Head coach Rudy Meredith has been stressing the importance of beginning games strong in the preseason. The Bulldogs were outscored 15-5 in the first half of games last year.

• A number of Yale players could see their first career action. There are 10 players in the Class of 2018.

• The Bobcats (0-3) are already playing their fourth game of the season.

• Quinnipiac travelled to California last weekend and dropped a pair of hard-fought 1-0 decisions to Pacific and UC Davis.

• The Bobcats were picked to finish seventh in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll.

• Quinnipiac has advanced to post season play in four of the last six years. 

• Yale Season Preview

• Quinnipiac Statistics

• Weather Forecast

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