Reeves Notches 4 Points

PROVIDENCE, RI – The last undefeated team in Division I lacrosse has a blemish, but not without an amazing effort in the battle for first place in the Ivy League. The No. 1 ranked Yale men's lacrosse team fell 14-12 to No. 4 Brown today in a classic college contest.

The Bulldogs are now 10-1 overall and 4-1 in league play. The Bears improved to 10-1 and 4-0 in the Ivy. Yale, with one league game left at home against Harvard in two weeks, can still earn a league title and host the Ivy Tournament, but it will need some help.

Ten different players scored for the Bulldogs, as they have now scored 10 or more goals in every game this season. Ben Reeves led the team with four points (2 G, 2 A), while Eric Scott scored two. Yale outshot Brown 42-37, but the Bulldogs' main opponent on offense was the post. The Elis hit the pipe six times on the day, the most of any game this season, including shots at crucial moments during the game. Jack Kelly was also forced to make 11 saves for the Bears.

If both teams win out their remaining Ivy League games this season, Yale will be the 2 seed in the Ivy League tournament in early May. This could set the stage for a heated game between the two teams in the postseason. After scoring nine goals in the first half, the Bulldogs certainly know how to beat the Bears on both sides of the field, and have all the tools necessary to pull out a win in a potential rematch.

After Jonathan Reese won the opening faceoff, the Bulldogs looked to set up their offense for the first time. Reilly Naton was left with all kinds of space, and decided to take it himself. The senior LSM fired a rocket that sailed over the stick of Brown goalie Jack Kelly and into the net. The Elis got a dream start as they took a 1-0 lead just fourteen seconds into the game. The defense made a stop at the other end, and Christopher Keating looked to begin the clear. The junior defenseman saw that Kelly was out of his net, and fired a shot from his own defensive zone that sailed in, but the goal was called off for offsides.

Another stop at the defensive end gave the Elis another clearing opportunity. Again, there was room to run, and the ball ended up in the stick of Jason Alessi. The sophomore midfielder found himself in a similar spot as Naton at the point position, without a defender in front of him. He decided to fire a shot of his own, and the low bouncer gave Yale a two-goal advantage early.

The Bears quickly scored two of their own to level the score at two. Reese won the next face-off to give the Bulldogs their first full offensive possession of the day. After drawing flag, junior Eric Scott led a passing rotation that ended with Brendan Mackie. The freshman attackman fired another sot from the point, and the bounce beat Kelly again, and with only three shots fired, the Elis had put three on the scoreboard.

The slashing penalty from the previous play carried into the next face-off, and after some jarring for the groundball, Reese scooped the ball up and carried it into the offensive zone. Because of the man advantage, the senior was given a clear lane to the net. He launched a shot that beat Kelly again, as he notched his first goal of the season, building the lead back to two.

Both teams exchanged possessions in the latter part of the first quarter, with Brown getting a goal back and the Bulldogs hitting the post twice. As the Bulldogs held possession on offense with less than a minute to go in the quarter, freshman Jack Tigh was left isolated with a defender behind the net. He gained a step as he wrapped around to the face of goal, and a low shot flew into the net to recapture the two-goal lead with just eight seconds left. The Bears scored off the ensuing face-off before the horn, but after one the Elis held a 5-4 lead.

The high tempo from both teams in the first quarter did not carry over into the early minutes of the second. Both teams traded empty possessions, and the Elis were only able to find the post for the third time in the half. But a slashing call gave Yale their second extra-man opportunity of the day midway through the second. The special teams offense set up a play, passing around the perimeter, and Shane Carr received the ball with a tight angle on net. The senior decided to put one on net, and he bounced a shot that found the top part of the net. He notched his third goal in the past two games, and the Bulldogs regained their two-goal lead.

The Bears cut the lead in half on the next possession, and the Bulldogs tried to respond on offense. Their first shot hit the pipe for a fourth time, the most of any half this season.  After Coach Andy Shay called a timeout, the Bulldogs regrouped on offense for a second chance on net. Passing on the perimeter ended with Eric Scott. For deep at the point position, the midfielder released a shot low. The ball sailed just inches from the ground, bouncing just as it passed the crease, and slipped past the legs of Kelly.

Leading 7-5, the Elis looked to take their first three-goal lead after getting possession back in their offensive zone. Ben Reeves got a step on his defender as he crossed the goal-line extended. The sophomore threaded a pass into a narrow opening, as a streaking Michael Bonacci was the target. The senior completed the one-timer with a textbook finish low, and with a minute to go it seemed as if the scoreline would carry into the half. Yale went back on offense again with less than 30 seconds in the second quarter, and Reeves was once again left stranded behind net with a defender. He took it himself this time, and wrapped around to his left side. Once he got a small angle on net, he fired a shot that sailed into the small opening in the opposite corner. The Bears scored as the horn sounded, but after two quarters Yale held a 9-6 lead.

The offensive statistics at the break aligned with the scoreboard. Yale held a 24-16 advantage in shots, and two-thirds of the Elis' shots were on-goal. Jonathan Reese kept the face-offs relatively even, winning 7 of 16, while the defense caused six turnovers. The offense also continued to spread the offense, a trend that began last week against Sacred Heart. Nine different players scored the first nine goals of the game for the Bulldogs, while Reeves led all scorers with three points (1 G, 2 A).

The defensive unit forced two turnovers in the early minutes of the third quarter, holding the Bears without a shot on net. Back on offense, Reeves found himself in a familiar position behind net with a defender. He wrapped around to towards the face of net, and looked ready to fire another shot immediately. Instead, he spun around to his left side, faking the defender, and then launched a shot that gave him his second of the day, and gave the Bulldogs the first goal of the second half.

Three quick goals by the Bears cut the Yale lead to one, and the Bulldogs were forced to play defense for most of the third quarter. Brown, looking to equalize, got the ball to a surging Kylor Bellistri, as he sprinted straight for the center of the crease. A quick shot from point blank range led the full-capacity crowd in Providence to assume he had scored, but Phil Huffard made a huge save low to stuff the attempt. The Bears would eventually equalize, and the game was tied at 10 with two minutes remaining in the third. The Bulldogs kept the score level as the quarter expired, and with fifteen minutes to play, the score stayed at 10-10.

Yale won the opening face-off of the fourth quarter, and while looking to take advantage of the fast break, a crosscheck to the head gave Yale their third EMO of the game. The Bears killed off the penalty, and responded with two goals to take their first lead of the day. Just as they seemed ready to put the game away, a turnover allowed the Bulldogs to clear the ball and get a chance on offense. Scott received the ball at the edge of the zone, and saw an open path to the net. He caught the Brown defense off-guard, and took the clear path towards net. He then shot just outside the crease, finishing low to cut the Brown lead down to one.

With a chance to equalize, the Bulldogs set up their offense once again with four minutes left to play. Scott had space at the perimeter, and decided to take a shot from distance. The high release sent the ball sailing downwards, but it found metal instead of net, the sixth time a Yale shot hit the post on the day. Yale would earn another EMO on the next possession, and after two wide shots, Michael Keasey received a pass at the point. The senior launched a missile that bounced into the net, and his fist goal of the day cut the Brown lead to one.

The Bears gained possession on the ensuing face-off, and twice the Bulldogs' defense swarmed the Brown attacker to force them to call two timeouts. Dylan Molloy notched his fifth goal of the game on the ensuing possession to seal the game, and the final scoreline read 14-12 in favor of the Bears.

While the final outcome did not turn out in favor of the Bulldogs, the showed that they can play with one of the best teams in the nation. The most important match-up between these two rivals is likely still to come, as they may see each other again in the Ivy League tournament. The seeding will not be determined for a few weeks, as the Elis have yet to play Harvard. In the meantime, the Bulldogs take a week off from Ivy League play, as they play host to Albany next Saturday at Reese Stadium. 

filed by Andrew Del Vecchio '19 (andrew.delvecchio@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity