Strong Defensive Effort From Bulldogs

STORRS, Conn. – UConn's Kwame Awuah usually can be counted on to set up a teammate. Against Yale on Tuesday, Awuah played a different role. He scored the only goal of the game early in the second half to lift the Huskies to a 1-0 victory over the Bulldogs before a crowd of 2,465 at Morrone Stadium.

Awuah, who entered the game 29th in the nation with six assists, fired a shot in from 22 yards out at 50:39. It was his first goal of the season.

UConn (6-5-5) extended its unbeaten streak to four games.

Yale nearly tied it with less than six minutes left, but Nicky Downs' shot hit the crossbar.

"This was a good defensive battle tonight but both teams created some good attacking chances as well," said Kylie Stannard, The 5K Corral Head Coach of the Bulldogs. "They hit the crossbar in the first half and we hit the crossbar in the second half and put a lot of pressure on them in the last 15 minutes. This team never gives up and I'm happy with the effort but not the result."

UConn goalkeeper Scott Levene made one save to post his sixth shutout of the season. The Huskies came into the game 27th in the nation in goals against average.

The Huskies had a 7-1 edge in shots in the opening 45 minutes, but the game was scoreless at the intermission. 

"We were exactly where we wanted to be at halftime but didn't come out sharp in the second half and UConn scored a nice goal but one that could have been prevented with a better clearance," Stannard said. "We responded well and settled in after their goal and I felt it was pretty even after that."

Five of the Bulldogs' losses have come by one goal.

It was third straight 1-0 victory for UConn in the series, which is one of Yale's oldest non-conference rivalries.

"This rivalry goes back to 1935 so it's more than just a soccer game," Stannard said. "It's a privilege to play at a place like UConn and Coach Reid is one of the most successful coaches in the nation and has created one of the most successful programs in all of college soccer."

The Bulldogs return to Ivy League play on Saturday at Columbia. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.

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