HAMILTON, N.Y. – The Yale field hockey team is 4-1 for the first time since 2010 after earning a 2-1 win over Colgate at Tyler's Field Friday night. The Bulldogs controlled play for much of the game, outshooting the Raiders 21-4, but had to overcome an eight-save effort by Colgate goalkeeper Anna Unger for the win. Junior forward
Lena Ansari and sophomore forward
Julia Freedman scored Yale's goals, both on penalty corners.
Yale (4-1, 0-0 Ivy League) outshot Colgate 12-1 in the first half, but five saves by Unger helped keep the game scoreless. Yale junior goalkeeper
Luanna Summer made her only save of the night less than a minute into the game, dropping to the turf to smother a shot by forward Aaliyah Linfoot.
Yale enjoyed a 13-3 advantage in penalty corners for the game, and that ultimately proved decisive. On one penalty corner midway through the third a great defensive save by Raiders midfielder Ella Murphy on a shot by sophomore forward
Lily Ramsey momentarily kept the game scoreless. But the Bulldogs earned another corner right after that, and at 37:07 Freedman batted in the rebound after senior midfielder
Théodora Dillman's shot was stopped.
Colgate (2-5, 0-0 Patriot League) tied the game three minutes later on a goal by defender Rachel Alderfer, sending the game into the fourth with the score 1-1.
Unger made a diving save to deny sophomore forward
Ellie Barlow on a penalty corner less than five minutes into the fourth, but once again the Bulldogs earned another corner and delivered. This time Ansari deflected in a blast by Dillman at 49:40.
Colgate did not threaten again, as the Bulldogs outshot the Raiders 5-1 in the final frame. Yale has allowed a total of two goals in the last three games.
"Tonight we were really proud of the team's collective energy," said
Melissa Gonzalez, Yale's Caroline Ruth Thompson '02 Head Coach of Field Hockey. "We put together great connected hockey on attack, defense and transition. Colgate is a talented team who tested us in our discipline, grit and defensive structure. Proud of the team's resilience during all the phases of the game and look forward to Albany on Sunday."
Yale plays at UAlbany at 1:00 p.m. Sunday.
