FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Yale field hockey team used some late magic to force a tie near the end of regulation at Fairfield Sunday, giving the Bulldogs a chance at what would have been their second overtime win of the weekend. But after a marathon double-overtime session, the game went to a shootout that was not decided until the ninth attempt for each team. The Stags ultimately came away with the win on midfielder Agustina Casteluchi's goal, making the final 3-2.
Yale (5-3, 1-0 Ivy League) was coming off a thrilling 3-2 overtime win at Brown. Fairfield (3-6, 0-0 NEC) scored the only goal of the first half, by attacker Julianna Kratz at 21:05. Shots were even at 3-3 for the half.
Yale tied the game in the third on a great individual effort by first-year forward
Poppy Beales, who battled for the ball low in the circle before driving towards the top, turning and firing a shot past Fairfield goalkeeper Payton Rahn.
Yale junior goalkeeper
Luanna Summer made one of her biggest saves of the day with nine minutes left in regulation to keep the game tied, denying a shot by Casteluchi with a player right in front of her. But Fairfield went back ahead at 5:38 on a penalty corner goal by defender Pilar Mengotti.
Just as the Bulldogs had done on Friday – when they tied the game at Brown with 1:55 to play – they came up with a big goal late on Sunday. It came from senior midfielder
Théodora Dillman, who scored Friday's game-winner, on a penalty corner. She took the insert from sophomore forward
Ellie Barlow, then teed up a hard shot that knotted the game 2-2 with 2:24 to play.
The Bulldogs withstood four Fairfield penalty corners in the two overtimes as the game remained tied. Summer made a pair of saves in the second OT to help set up the shootout.
Each team scored three times in the first five shots of the shootout, while neither team scored on the next three. After Casteluchi scored on Fairfield's ninth attempt, Rahn denied Yale's ensuing shot and clinched the victory.
The Bulldogs finished with an 11-10 shot advantage for the game, and Summer finished with three saves.
Yale hosts Princeton Friday at 6:00 p.m.
