 | True-Blue players and fans rush onto the field at the Soccer-Lacrosse Stadium on Nov. 13 to celebrate the Bulldogs' victory over Duke, which put them in the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA women's soccer playoffs. |
The Yale women's soccer team became Ivy League champions with its 3-0 victory over Brown on Nov. 5, and has since advanced to the third round of the NCAA College Cup after beating Duke 2-1 on Nov. 13 with just one second remaining on the clock.
The Bulldogs will play Notre Dame on Nov. 18 in South Bend, Indiana.
The Bulldogs' upset of Duke on the team's home field was described by one ESPN reporter as "one of the most dramatic endings in the tournament's history."
Senior Laurel Karnes scored the game-winning goal at 89:59. The home crowd went wild with the win.
"It's unbelievable," said head coach Rudy Meredith of his team's latest victory. "Our kids played really hard. I always stress to play for the full 90 minutes. I'm just happy because I get to hang with these kids for another week."
The Bulldog's recent accomplishments include two firsts for the team: This is the first outright victory of the Ivy Crown (Yale shared the Ivy Championship with Brown in 1992) and it is the first time the Yale team has made it to the third round of the NCAA contest.
"This means everything," said Meredith when the Yale women became Ivy League champions. "It's been our goal since day one to take the Ivy League title. We've been to the NCAA Tournament a couple of times but never won the Ivy title. Now we have."
In addition to its two NCAA appearances, the women's soccer team won nearly 50 games over the past four years. As a result of the Ivy championship, Yale received an automatic berth to this year's NCAA College Cup.
The Bulldogs achieved the Ivy championship before a crowd of more than 1,400 at Yale's Soccer-Lacrosse Stadium. Mimi Macauley '07, Crysti Howser '09 and Emma Whitfield '09 all scored for the team. Chloe Beizer '07 played all 90 minutes in goal and made two saves to post the shutout, Yale's eighth of the season. Yale's 13 wins for the season equals the school record, set three times before (1996, 1998 and 2004).
Before the game, eight senior players were honored. They are Brianne Baker, Jamie Ortega, April Siuda, Lindsey Weening, Erin Ruck, Jessica Berggren, Karnes and the team's captain, Eleni Benson.
"The seniors have watched this program grow," Meredith said. "They've been through some good times and some bad times. I'm extremely proud of what they've accomplished."
Howser, who is third in the Ivy League in scoring with 21 points, was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year and was also named first-team All-Ivy. She is only the second Yale player to be named Ivy Rookie of the Year.
Three of her teammates also made first team All-Ivy: Benson, Karnes and Christina Huang '07. In addition, Whitfield was named second-team All Ivy, and Ortega and freshman Natasha Mann earned honorable mention recognition.
Yale's victory against Duke in the NCAA College Cup came after a scoreless first half. In the second half, Duke scored the first goal but Yale quickly followed suit when Mann fired a shot from nearly 20 yards away, making her first career goal.
With one second left, Howser settled a throw-in pass and sent the ball to Karnes, who knocked it in from right in front of the goal. Student fans immediately rushed the field in celebration.
"It helped us to have our home crowd," Benson said of her team. This was the Bulldogs ninth home win.
Yale is one of 16 teams vying for the NCAA College Cup. The fifth-ranked Notre Dame is 21-2 overall and will face the Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m.
T H I S
Women's soccer team wins Ivy crown,
makes NCAA 'Sweet 16'
Winning the Ivy
On to round three
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Campus Notes
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