PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – It wasn't decided in overtime, but Yale and Penn played another regular season instant classic. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, it was the Quakers who walked away with the victory. Tynan Walsh's goal with 1:17 left in the fourth quarter snapped a 16-16 tie and lifted Penn to a 17-16 victory on a soggy and sunny afternoon at Franklin Field.
Yale nearly tied it in the final seconds, but Emmet Carroll made a terrific save to rob
Matt Brandau and preserve the victory.
The game was reminiscent of the last meeting between the teams in Philly in 2019. In that one, the Bulldogs rallied from a 10-7 deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime, but Penn scored in the third overtime period to escape with a 13-12 win.
Or maybe it was more similar to the regular season game last year in New Haven when the Quakers scored the only two goals of the fourth quarter to force overtime. Yale, though, came away with the win when
Chris Lyons scored with 2:49 left in the first overtime.
Either way, what is clear is Yale-Penn games are never ideal for the blood pressure of either team.
Early on, it looked like Penn might coast to a victory. The Quakers had a 5-1 lead midway through the first quarter.
Yale answered in a big way. By the end of the first, the Bulldogs had cut the deficit to 6-4. Yale then dominated the second quarter, outscoring Penn 7-3 to take an 11-9 halftime lead.
The advantage was still two, 14-12, after three quarters. The Quakers, though, scored the first two goals of the final stanza to tie the score.
Yale again had an answer. Goals from
Carson Kuhl and
Brad Sharp less than a minute apart put the Bulldogs back in front by two.
This time it was Penn that responded. Goals from Robert Schain and Ben Smith just about a minute apart tied the score for the third time in the game, setting up the dramatic finish.
Leo Johnson scored four goals and Brandau added three to pace Yale (3-4, 0-3 Ivy). Brandau now has 133 goals in his outstanding career, tying him with Conrad Oberbeck (2012-15) for fourth all-time at Yale.
Kuhl and
Thomas Bragg finished with two goals, while Lyons, Sharp,
Max Krevsky, Patrick Hackler and
Machado Rodriguez each tallied once.
Johnson also contributed two assists.
Walsh and Ben Smith had four goals apiece to lead the Quakers (4-4, 2-1 Ivy).
The Bulldogs will be right back in action on Tuesday when they host Boston University at 4 p.m. at Reese Stadium.
