NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The No. 25 Yale women's lacrosse team will pay tribute to its seniors this Saturday while hosting Columbia (12:00 p.m.,
NESN,
ESPN+,
Live Stats). The Bulldogs have already clinched a spot in the Ivy League Tournament and will look to maintain their undefeated mark in league games. A sixth league win this Saturday would tie the school record.
Senior Day
Yale will pay tribute to its Senior Class after Saturday's game. This group has led the Bulldogs through the challenges of the pandemic and helped the team to many major accomplishments this season. The Bulldogs have clinched a spot in the Ivy League Tournament for the first time in history, and earlier this week the team earned a spot in the national poll. The team has also set the school record for most consecutive Ivy League wins to start a season (five).
- Defender Ali Anderson (Syracuse, N.Y.)
- Defender Kenya Boston (Baltimore, Md.)
- Defender Emily Clorite (Madison, Conn.)
- Defender Shannon Coughlan (Setauket, N.Y.)
- Defender Kelsey Dunn (McLean, Va.) – team captain
- Defender Zoe Durham (Dallas, Texas)
- Midfielder Jill Gollob (McLean, Virginia)
- Attacker Olivia Markert (Centreville, Virginia)
- Defender Emma Reilly (Manhasset, N.Y.)
- Attacker Isabelle Webster (Towson, Md.)
Last Game
Yale (9-3, 5-0 Ivy League) spent most of Wednesday afternoon playing catchup against No. 15 UConn at Reese Stadium, and the Bulldogs were almost able to pull off a major comeback. But after trailing 7-1 and rallying to get within a goal three times, the Bulldogs saw the Huskies pull away late to claim a 20-14 win. The loss snapped Yale's five-game winning streak, the Bulldogs' longest within a season since 2014.
Overachievers
USA Lacrosse Magazine recently listed Yale as
one of five teams that have outperformed expectations this season. The Bulldogs are on pace for nearly seven more wins than the magazine's statistical model predicted for them prior to the season. Yale has also dramatically outperformed the Ivy League preseason poll, which had the Bulldogs picked for seventh. They are in first place with two league games left, and can finish no lower than second.
On the Verge of History
A win on Saturday would move Yale to 6-0 in Ivy League play for the first time in school history. Prior to this season no Yale team had ever started the Ivy season with more than four straight wins. The only seasons in which Yale finished with six Ivy League wins were 2003 (6-1) and 2007 (6-1). Yale's only undefeated Ivy seasons were 1976 (3-0), 1978 (4-0-1) and 1980 (4-0-2).
Double Digits
Yale is one win shy of 10 for the season. The last time the Bulldogs won 10 or more games in a year was 2008 (11-5). The school record for wins in a season is 14 by the 1978, 1999 and 2003 teams.
Clearly Among the Nation's Best
Yale's .900 clearing percentage ranks No. 23 in the nation. The Bulldogs are limiting their opponents to an .803 clearing percentage.
Cracking the National Poll
Yale made the national top 25 for the first time this season on Monday, coming in at No. 25 in the latest ILWomen/IWLCA poll. The Bulldogs had been among the teams receiving votes in the poll for four straight weeks (Mar. 21, Mar. 28, Apr. 4, Apr. 11).
Bulldogs No. 2 in Ivy in RPI
Yale is second among Ivy League teams in the
NCAA RPI rankings. The Bulldogs are No. 19 overall and Princeton is No. 9. Penn (No. 37) and Cornell (No. 40) are the only other Ivy League teams in the top 50.
Sweet 15
Yale has scored at least 15 goals in a game five times this season, including three times in the last five games. The Bulldogs had a season high of 20 goals in the 20-15 win vs. Army Apr. 5.
Ball Control
Yale is second in the Ivy League in fewest turnovers per game (12.75). Only Princeton (11.42) averages fewer per game.
Can't Score if You Don't Shoot
Yale is second in the Ivy League in shots per game (24.58). Only Princeton (25.75) averages more.
Markert, Penoyer Among Top Four in Ivy League
Senior attacker
Olivia Markert (Centreville, Va.) is second in the Ivy League in goals per game (3.00) and fourth in the league in points per game (3.58). She has a career-high 36 goals and, with 43 points, is nearing her career high in points (47, set in 2019). Junior attacker
Olivia Penoyer (Manlius, N.Y.) is leading the Ivy League in assists per game (2.00). She has a career-high 24 assists this season.
Scouting Columbia
Columbia (2-10, 0-4 Ivy League) started the season 2-0 but has gone 0-10 since. The Lions' attack features three 20 point scorers, led by midfielder Dani Falcone (20-4-24).
