NEW HAVEN, Conn. – It was another dramatic one-goal win for the Yale field hockey team Sunday afternoon at Johnson Field – and though the script was slightly different, the hero remained the same. The Bulldogs fell behind 2-0, just the second time in the last six games they have faced a deficit that large. Richmond (7-9, 3-4 Atlantic 10) scored twice in a span of 51 seconds early in the second quarter, and Yale (7-8, 3-3 Ivy League) did not respond until the waning moments of the game. But when the Bulldogs got going, they kept going. Sophomore forward/midfielder
Lauren Venter sparked the start of the comeback with a penalty corner goal at 54:09, and first-year back/midfielder
Hettie Whittington tied the game 2-2 with a penalty corner goal at 59:09.
Those were the first career goals for Venter and Whittington. In OT, however, the winning goal came from a familiar source. Sophomore forward
Poppy Beales' penalty corner tally 51 seconds into the extra session extended her streak of consecutive games with a game-winning goal to three. Her nine goals for the season lead the team and rank tied for third in the Ivy League.
The win gives Yale momentum heading into next Friday's game vs. Princeton. It is the regular season finale. The winner will earn a spot in the Ivy League Tournament, and the loser will be eliminated from tournament contention.
Scoring Summary
Notes
- Yale senior goalkeeper Luanna Summer made two saves, including one with 5:28 left in the first where she came charging out to deny a shot by forward Jessica Mullin.
- Yale started its comeback with a penalty corner goal by sophomore forward/midfielder Lauren Venter, who drilled in a shot with 5:51 to play off a stick stop by junior back Keely Comizio and an insertion by junior midfielder/forward Ellie Barlow. It was Venter's first career goal.
- The Bulldogs brought in a kicking back with 90 seconds to play, helping generate the attack that led to the game-tying penalty corner.
- Senior forward/midfielder Ashley Kim and first-year forward Emma Ramsey combined to create a Richmond turnover that led to the Yale possession that set up the game-tying penalty corner late in the fourth.
- Barlow's insertion on that corner went straight to first-year back/midfielder Hettie Whittington, helping catch the Richmond defense by surprise. With the goalkeeper attempting to dive into position, Whittington fired the ball past a Spiders defender and tied the game 2-2 with 51 seconds left. It was her first career goal.
- A drive down the left side in overtime by Ramsey helped the Bulldogs earn the penalty corner that set up the game-winner.
- On the game-winning corner, Barlow inserted to senior midfielder Maddy Wong at the top of the circle. Wong drew the attention of the defense before sliding the ball over to Beales on the left for the game-winning shot.
- Four of Beales' nine goals this season have been game-winners. She has scored the game-winner in each of Yale's last four wins, including three in overtime.
Up Next
- Yale hosts Princeton in the regular season finale Friday at 5:00 p.m., with the winner earning a spot in the Ivy League Tournament.
