Box Score Fewest Goals Allowed in a Game by Yale Since 2008
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Amidst a pouring rain at Stevenson Field Saturday afternoon, the Yale women's lacrosse team delivered its best defensive performance of the season to come away with an 8-3 win over Brown. The Bulldogs got eight saves from senior goalkeeper Erin Mullins and did not allow a goal from the field, as Brown's three tallies came on free positions. That was the fewest goals allowed in a game by Yale since beating UConn 18-3 Mar. 26, 2008.
"Our defense, the last few games, has become even more of a team defense," said Anne Phillips, Yale's Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse. "They are working very well together. They are all very good 1v1 defenders, but they are also great help defenders. They just disrupted the Brown offense all day."
Both teams had dropped their league openers a week before, adding to the sense of urgency entering Saturday's game. Brown (4-2, 0-2 Ivy League) got the first goal, by midfielder Becca Dahle on a free position, but after that the Bulldogs went on a 4-0 run to take control. Junior attacker Nicole Daniggelis curled around the cage and deposited her second goal of the season at 25:16 to spark the attack. Six minutes later, senior attacker Kerri Fleishhacker fired one in high to give the Bulldogs the lead.
A free position attempt enabled senior attacker Erin Magnuson to pass to sophomore attacker Hope Hanley for a goal at 17:41, and two minutes later another free position enabled Fleishhacker to set up Hanley for another goal. That made the score 4-1 and prompted a Brown timeout.
Mullins made three saves on free position shots by Brown in a span of 10 minutes in the first, but Bears attacker/midfielder Marissa Hudgins did sneak one past her at the 10:28 mark to cut Yale's lead to 4-2.
Yale (4-3, 1-1 Ivy League) then got a goal from Fleishhacker with 2:17 left in the first and went into halftime up 5-2.
The second half got off to a good start for Yale when Mullins stuffed a high shot by midfielder Abby Bunting; right after that the Bulldogs drove down the field and Fleishhacker set up senior midfielder Cathryn Avallone for a goal that extended the lead to four goals.
After Avallone scored again with 15:06 to play the Bears called timeout, but Brown was unable to take advantage of a yellow card on the Bulldogs right after that. Sophomore defender Victoria Moore picked up the ground ball off a Brown turnover, enabling Yale to kill off the penalty. Moore and senior defender Clare Curran both finished the game with a team-best two caused turnovers.
Hanley finished off her hat trick, thanks to an assist from Doherty, with 10:14 to play.
"Hope shot 3-for-4, and she would have been 4-for-4 but one of her shots hit the post," said Phillips. "She's just a great shooter and has a knack for finding space inside. The Brown goalie is very athletic and difficult to solve, but Hope is so crafty at shooting."
Brown then had a chance to cut into the lead on a free position attempt by attacker Janie Gion with 8:59 left, but the Yale defense converged on her and forced her into a soft high shot that Mullins saved. Mullins also stopped a free position shot by attacker Lauren Toy with 6:20 to play to keep the second-half shutout intact.
A long Bears possession ended with a turnover with 1:11 to play, but Brown did get back into the offensive zone with 44 seconds left. A high shot sailed over the crossbar but shortly after that Brown got a free position attempt and midfielder Rachael Walsh scored to snap Yale's streak, 40:09 without allowing a goal. That made the final 8-3.
Avallone and junior defender Kate Walker led Yale with three ground balls each, helping the Bulldogs win the ground ball battle 11-6.
Daniggelis -- who entered the day with 201 draws and is closing in on the Ivy League's career draw controls record of 229 held by Brown's Grace Healy -- won seven draws on Saturday.
"Nicole is not 100% physically, but she's contributing where she can," said Phillips. "She helped us on the draw. Every day she's getting more and more back to game-ready. We're a different team when she's in there."
Following Saturday's game Yale headed to the airport for a trip west for its game at Denver on Tuesday, Mar. 17.
Report by Sam Rubin '95 (sam.rubin@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity
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