NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale men's lacrosse team played its best game of the season, triumphing over No. 16 Denver, 15-10, at Reese Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs scored the first six goals of the game and never looked back, earning their first victory of the season.
After facing a gauntlet of tough opponents early in the season, Yale earned its first win, improving to 1-3 overall. Denver fell to 4-3 overall.
Key Performers
- Goalie Hugh Conrad was outstanding in net for the Bulldogs, stopping 11 shots while recording a season-high .524 save percentage.
- Machado Rodriguez was a dominant force for the Bulldogs, winning 19-of-24 faceoffs.
- Leo Johnson led the offensive attack with three goals and two assists.
Scoring Summary
- Q1 | The Bulldogs got off to a blistering start, scoring the first six goals of the game. Yale ended the quarter with an 8-2 lead. Six different Bulldogs players scored during the opening stanza. 8-2 YALE
- Q2 | The second quarter was a much more defensive affair. The Bulldogs recorded three goals and were stifling defensively, only allowing a single tally. 11-3 YALE
- Q3 | The two teams played evenly in the third quarter, each scoring three goals. Brad Sharp tallied a pair of scores to lead the Bulldogs. 14-6 YALE
- Q4 | Denver was able to slightly cut into Yale's lead with four goals, but it was not nearly enough, as the Bulldogs sealed the 15-10 victory. 15-10 YALE
Game Notes
- Yale improved to 5-0 against Denver all-time including victories in four consecutive seasons. Saturday's win marked the largest margin of victory for the Bulldogs over the Pioneers.
- The Bulldogs recorded a season-high goal total, surpassing their previous high of 11 in the season opener against Villanova.
- Cole Jackson scored his first collegiate goal in the second quarter.
- Leo Johnson recorded his first hat trick of the year. He leads the team with six goals and five assists.
- William Sheehan has scored in each of the first four games this season.
- Senior Jack Stuzin tallied five ground balls.
Looking Ahead
The Bulldogs will begin Ivy League play with a matchup at Harvard on Saturday, March 15, at 1 p.m.