ITHACA, N.Y.- Peter Moynihan scored four goals, including the eventual game winner with 2:52 remaining, and
Ben Friedman shined in goal with 20 saves as the Yale men's lacrosse team picked up its first Ivy League victory in statement fashion, defeating defending national champion No. 9 Cornell on Saturday afternoon at Schoellkopf Field.
With the victory, Yale improved to 4-4 overall (1-2 Ivy), and Cornell dropped to 5-3 overall (2-1 Ivy).
Notable Performances
- Moynihan led a Yale attack that saw eight Bulldogs find the back of the net. The junior led all players with four goals, including back-to-back unassisted scores to open the game, and the game-tying goal at 1:32 in the third quarter. His goal with 2:52 remaining proved to be the game winner.
- Friedman was sensational in goal, making 20 saves on 32 shots. He made six saves in each of the third and fourth quarters to keep Yale in front during the final 30 minutes.
- Connor Gately contributed a goal and two assists, including the assist on David Anderson's man-up goal that gave the Bulldogs their first fourth quarter lead.
- Sean Grogan scored twice and added an assist.
- Luke Pascal tallied two goals.
- Anderson scored a man-up goal at 13:43 of the fourth quarter.
- Cole Jackson tallied an unassisted goal at 11:39 of the fourth quarter.
- Dylan Blekicki scored a man-up goal and added an assist.
- Cole Cashion scored a goal.
- Captain Patrick Pisano recorded a team-high four caused turnovers and picked up three ground balls.
Scoring Summary
- Q1 | Yale came out firing with four goals in the first 7:12. Moynihan scored twice, both unassisted, to give the Bulldogs an early 2-0 lead. After Cornell answered, Grogan and Gately scored back-to-back to extend the advantage to 4-1. The Big Red countered with two straight goals (4-3), but Pascal responded back to make it 5-3 before Cornell closed the frame with two goals to tie the game. 5-5
- Q2 | Cashion scored off a Blekicki assist to retake the lead at 6-5, but Cornell answered with a man-up goal to knot the game back up (6-6). Grogan scored his second of the day to make it 7-6, but the Big Red rattled off three straight to take a two-goal advantage into halftime. 9-7 CORNELL
- Q3 | Yale was dominant in the frame, outscoring the Big Red 3-1. Pascal pulled the Bulldogs within one at 9-8 at the 11:46 mark, but Cornell answered. Blekicki then countered with a man-up goal at 6:43, before Moynihan tied the game up at 10-10. Friedman was stellar with six saves in the quarter to keep the game level. 10-10
- Q4 | The Bulldogs took control to start the fourth, as Anderson converted on a man-up opportunity at 13:43 to give Yale a one-goal lead (11-10). Jackson then followed with a score to extend the advantage to two (12-10). Cornell pulled within one with 6:57 remaining and kept putting on pressure, but Friedman made back-to-back saves on Willem Firth and Ryan Goldstein to hold the lead. Moynihan then delivered the eventual game-winner, his fourth of the day, to ultimately put the game out of reach for good. 13-12 YALE
Bulldog Notes
- Moynihan's four goals marked a career best. He's also scored in six games this season for Yale.
- Grogan has scored in every game this season.
- Gately has registered at least one point in all eight games.
- Pisano's four caused turnovers tied a career high.
- Pascal has tallied a goal in seven games.
- Friedman's 20 saves are one shy of a career high (21 against Boston University).
- The Bulldogs went 2-for-2 on extra man opportunities after going 1-for-8 against Penn last week.
- The victory is Yale's first over a top-10 opponent this season.
- The road win at Cornell marked the first for the Bulldogs' since 2018.
- Two of Yale's four wins this season have come against top-20 teams (No. 18 Boston University, No. 9 Cornell).
Up Next
The Bulldogs will remain on the road to face Dartmouth on Saturday, Apr. 4 at noon.
