PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Yale men's soccer team are marching into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. The Bulldogs took home the inaugural Ivy League Tournament crown, defeating Brown 2-1 at Penn Park in Philadelphia, Pa.
The third-seeded Bulldogs downed Harvard 4-0 on Friday to earn a spot in the title game. On Sunday, Yale squared off with No. 4 Brown who triumphed over Penn in penalty kicks during its semifinal matchup on Friday night.
The Bulldogs and Bears matched up in the regular season finale on Nov. 4, playing to a scoreless tie at Reese Stadium. On Sunday, the two teams faced off once again with an Ivy League Tournament Championship at stake.
Throughout the first 45 minutes of the title game, the squads played to a 0-0 tie, although the Bulldogs had the better scoring opportunities. The Elis outshot the Bears 12-1 in the first half, including two shots that hit off the posts.
In the 68
th minute, the Bulldogs finally broke through on a score from defender
Ryan Cote who had entered the game just a few minutes prior. Three minutes later, senior forward
Eric Lagos added a second goal for Yale and his third of the tournament. Although Brown cut the lead in half, the Bulldogs did not allow the equalizer, and hung on to earn the first Ivy League Tournament crown.
As a result, Yale will be an automatic qualifier in the upcoming NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament as the Ivy League's representative.
The Bulldogs last played in the national postseason event after winning the conference title in 2019. Since
Kylie Stannard, the 5K Corral Head Coach of the Bulldogs, took over in 2014, the program has undergone a massive turnaround. Yale has had five consecutive winnings seasons, a regular season Ivy title, two NCAA Tournament berths, and now a conference tournament crown.
"This is such a proud and special moment for this entire group and program," Stannard said. "The players are deserving of this moment because of the extra time, work and sacrifices they have put into becoming the best they can be and not settling for anything less. They have embraced a new level of togetherness that kept us going no matter the ups and downs of a season," he said. "The player leadership has also been phenomenal and we all love to keep proving the doubters wrong."
"We are also very grateful for all the amazing support and belief from our alumni, family, friends, support staff, and administration," Stannard continued. "We cannot do anything without the great support we have here."
How it Happened
- 3' | Eric Lagos gets behind the Brown defense and fires a short shot on goal, but Bears' keeper Hudson Blatteis makes the save.
- 12' | Quanah Brayboy nearly gets the Bulldogs on the board off a cross by Lagos. But Brayboy's header is barely saved by the foot of Blatteis.
- 15' | Jonathan Seidman takes a pass from inside the 18, but his shot bounces off the left post and back into play.
- 29' | The Bears' top scorer Kojo Dadzie entered the box on a threat to score, but Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year, TJ Presthus, knocks Dadzie off the ball to eliminate the chance.
- 32' | The Bulldogs nearly break the 0-0 tie off a corner kick, but a header by Presthus is just saved by the fingertips of Blatteis. On the rebound, Diego Zaffanella's shot hits the crossbar and bounces out of play.
- 38' | A free kick from just outside the box attempted by Sandor Pelle barely curls outside the post.
- HT | The Bulldogs dominated possession throughout the first 45 minutes, tallying six shots on goal while only conceding one.
- 58' | Yale goaltender Chris Edwards makes a diving save to keep the game scoreless.
- 68' | GOAL! Ryan Cote converts with the left foot inside the box after some slick passing from Max Rogers and Brayboy.
- 72' | GOAL! Just over three minutes later, Lagos sprints down the field, nearly outrunning a Brown defender who was hanging all over him. Lagos was taken down, and as Blatteis came out of the net to corral the lose ball, the senior forward was able to get a foot on it from his back. The attempt slowly rolled into the keeperless net for the Bulldogs' second goal on the miraculous effort by Lagos.
- 76' | Brown cuts the lead in half on a goal by Harri Sprofera.
- FT | CHAMPIONS! The Bulldogs hold off several attempts by the Bears to tie the game. The defensive back line held strong to seal the 2-1 victory. The Bulldogs are Ivy League Tournament Champions.
All-Tournament Team
Four Bulldogs were named to the Ivy League All-Tournament team.
Eric Lagos won Most Outstanding Player after tallying three goals during the two-game span. He landed a spot on the All-Tournament squad with teammates
Jonathan Seidman,
Max Rogers, and
TJ Presthus.
Game Notes
- Yale is the first-ever Ivy League Tournament Champion.
- The Bulldogs have won six regular season conference titles (1956, 1986, 1989, 1991, 2005, 2019) and one tournament championship (2023).
- Yale will make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019, when the team earned a spot by winning the Ivy League regular season. The Bulldogs lost in the NCAA First Round to Boston College that season.
- The Bulldogs will make its eighth NCAA Tournament appearance overall (1973, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1999, 2005, 2019, 2023). Yale has gone 5-7 in 12 NCAA Tournament games.
- Lagos scored his third goal of the tournament, leading all players.
- Cote made an immediate impact on the field. He scored the go-ahead goal while only playing 13 minutes.
- Brayboy tallied his fourth assist in two Ivy League Tournament games, dishing a secondary helper on Cote's goal in the 68th minute.
- Edwards made three saves, while only allowing the lone goal.
Up Next
"We are playing as one and just had our two best games of the year, so we hope we can keep that momentum going," said Stannard.
The Bulldogs will compete in the 2023 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament beginning next week. Their matchup will be determined following the Division I Men's Soccer Selection Show on Monday, November 13 at 1 p.m. The show can be watched live
here.
