HANOVER, N.H. – It certainly wasn't the start the Yale men's lacrosse team was looking for. The Bulldogs found themselves trailing Dartmouth 7-1 after 15 minutes. The response was impressive. Yale dominated the final three quarters and posted a 20-13 victory over the Big Green at Scully-Fahey Field.
The victory, coupled with Harvard's loss at Penn, clinched a spot in the Ivy League Tournament for the Bulldogs, who have won five straight games and are 9-2 overall and 4-1 in Ivy play, which has them tied with Penn for first place.
STATISTICAL LEADERS
It was another balanced attack for Yale, which got five goals from
David Anderson.
Matt Brandau contributed four goals.
Johnny Keib and
Patrick Hackler each scored three times, while
Cole Cashion had two goals.
Carson Kuhl, Anthony Annunziata and
Jack Stuzin scored once. Seven Bulldogs tallied assists - Brandau had five, Kuhl two and Cashion, Hackler,
Thomas Bragg, Peter Moynihan and
Logan Soelberg one.
BENCH CONTRIBUTORS
Yale got a pair of big performances off the bench. Goalie
Hugh Conrad played the final 34 minutes, 12 seconds, finishing with 10 saves while allowing only four goals. Annunziata was forced into faceoff action and won 12-of-22. His goal, the first of his career, came directly following a faceoff win.
TURNING POINT
The comeback started quickly in the second quarter as Yale scored the first three goals. The Big Green got three of the next four goals, but Anderson and Stuzin scored in the final four minutes of the second and Yale was within 10-7 at halftime. That was the start of a 14-0 run for the Bulldogs, who outscored Dartmouth 6-0 in the third quarter and tallied the first six goals of the fourth.
KEY STAT
Over the final three quarters, Yale outshot Dartmouth 51-26.
QUOTING SHAY
"I'm really proud of our mental toughness. It was difficult being down 7-1. Dartmouth's energy and effort was impressive," said
Andy Shay, The Forst Family Head Coach of the Bulldogs. "Our guys stuck with it and played with some grit and intelligence. Annunziata and Conrad coming off the bench to play the way they did was incredible. Just like we say, 'only need everybody.'"
NOTES
• Yale qualified for the Ivy League Tournament for the 13th consecutive season. The Bulldogs are the only school to have appeared in all 13 tournaments.
• Anderson's five goals matched his career high. He has nine goals in the last two games.
• In addition to his goal, Stuzin contributed two caused turnovers and three ground balls.
•
Jack Monfort tied for the team lead with six ground balls.
• The Bulldogs were playing their third game in the last eight days. Yale beat Penn last Saturday and Boston University on Tuesday.
WHAT'S NEXT
The busy stretch continues for the Bulldogs, who are at Hofstra on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. That's the first of two straight non-Ivy games. Yale hosts Albany next Friday at Reese Stadium at 7 p.m.
