After a dominant performance against Harvard University (5–5–7, 3–1–3) in the semi-finals, the Bulldogs continued to prove themselves in a final that was not as close as the ultimate scoreline suggests. 

The team faced off against Harvard on Friday at Franklin Field in Philadelphia for a chance to make the championship game. The Bulldogs took charge of the game from the first whistle, registering a couple of shots in the opening five minutes. Roughly twenty minutes into the game, three shots in quick succession by Yale’s Quanah Brayboy ’25, Jonathan Seidman ’25 and Eric Lagos ’24 set the scene for what was to come. 

In the 23rd minute, Sam Harshe ’25 sent a ball into the box looking to find Lagos, Yale’s biggest aerial threat. Lagos beat his defender to the ball, contorting his body in the air to head the ball into the top-left corner. The unsavable header from Yale’s prolific finisher gave them a deserved 1–0 lead. 

With no more goals in the first half, Yale went into the locker room with a narrow lead but firm control of the game. Yale’s defense has been stellar as of late, and the first half of this monumental game was no different as they prevented Havard from registering a single shot on target. 

The Elis started the second half just as strong and were rewarded for their efforts just ten minutes later. After another onslaught of shots in the minutes prior, Lagos found himself once again heading a cross towards goal. This time, the Harvard goalie was able to save the shot and push the ball wide. The first save was not enough, however, as Brayboy was there to center the ball once again towards Lagos’ head, who put it away for his second goal of the game. 

Just three minutes later, Max Rogers ’24 slotted a beautiful cross on the ground to meet Brayboy’s back post run. Brayboy’s shot was initially blocked by a sliding Harvard defender, but he was able to recover the rebound and push Yale’s lead to 3–0. 

Despite the comfortable lead, the Bulldogs were committed to their pre-game goal of putting on a 90-minute performance. In the 78th minute, Yasin Aly ’25 beat his defender and took a shot from the top of the box. The shot was saved, but Harvard was once again unable to secure the ball and Jamie Orson ’25 was there to capitalize on the second chance. He pushed the ball across the goal line to give Yale their fourth goal of the night. 

The semi-final could not have gone better for the Bulldogs, as their historic victory over their rivals gave them confidence going into the championship game. Yale registered 18 shots to Harvard’s six, with ten of them being on target. The offense and defense both had great performances, as the team scored a season-high four goals and secured their third clean sheet in a row. 

Coach Kylie Stannard shared with the News that he was especially proud of how the team kept their composure despite a few early season losses. 

“They came together and embraced their various roles in the team and bought in to the type of identity we need to be in order to best position ourselves for an Ivy League Championship,” Stannard said. 

With morale high, the Bulldogs awaited the result of the other semi-final between the University of Pennsylvania (7–3–6, 4–1–2 Ivy) and Brown University. The thrilling contest saw multiple comebacks, a bicycle kick goal, late game-tying goals, a penalty save in the last minute of overtime and an eventual victory for Brown in a penalty shootout. The Bear’s underdog victory ended the tournament hosts’ season and sent them to the championship game to face Yale. 

The final, played at 1 p.m. on Sunday, saw the two lower seeds in the tournament face off for a title and the Ivy League’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division 1 Tournament. 

Yale started off the game strong, with early chances for the Bulldogs. Three minutes after kickoff, Lagos reminded everyone how much of a goalscoring threat he is in the box. His timing and positioning set him up to get a close-range shot that was saved by the Brown goalkeeper. Two minutes later, Rogers’ cross to the back post gave Yale another opportunity, but no one was there to convert the chance. 

In the 12th minute, the team utilized Lagos as a hold-up striker. The striker settled a high ball given to him and crossed it into the box towards Brayboy, who was making the run in behind the defense. Brayboy made solid contact on the ball, but the shot was once again saved by Brown’s goalie. Four minutes later, a strong shot by Seidman hit the post but was cleared out by Brown.

In the 32nd minute, a cross near Brown’s goal forced their goalie to push the ball out, where TJ Presthus ’25 headed the ball on target. Despite the Yale players’ calls that the ball crossed the line, the apparent goal line save by the Brown goalie kept the game scoreless. The first half ended 0–0, but with Yale completely outperforming their opponents. The Bulldogs put up eleven shots, six of them on target, while Brown only managed a single shot. However, games are won by only one thing: goals. Yale needed to turn their consistent pressure into actual goals in the second half. 

The Elis started the second half at full speed, with a seemingly pre-planned kick-off play earning them a shot and a corner right away. They kept the pressure high and continued to have the majority of goal-scoring chances, including a header by Orson that sailed just over the crossbar. Despite their struggles, Brown kept Yale’s defense on their toes. In the 62nd minute, a shot from outside the box forced Yale goalie Chris Edwards ’24 to make a diving save. 

In the 66th minute, midfielder Ryan Cote ’25 subbed in for the first time in a game, a decision that would prove critical. Just two minutes later, a ball that was narrowly kept inbounds inside Brown’s 18-yard box found Brayboy. He showed off his technical ability, settling the ball with his chest and flicking it over to Rogers before it even touched the ground. Rogers then played a short pass to Cote, who used his first touch to open his body and face the goal. A great left-footed shot towards the back post by the substitute gave Yale the 1–0 in the 68th minute. 

Not long after, in the 72nd minute, Lagos’ hard work paid off as he fought to win a ball played long. He outworked two defenders to progress the ball forward, forcing Brown’s goalie to come out and get his hands on it, stopping the ball but not securing it. Even though the defender tracking back pushed Lagos to the ground, he was first to the loose ball. Without even getting up or facing the right way, he swung his leg to send the ball towards the goal. Brown’s sprinting defender was not quick enough as he watched the ball roll its way towards the back post and into the side netting. Yale now had a 2–0 lead. 

With Brown’s reputation for late goals, the game was far from over. A Brown corner saw them get their closest chance of the game so far, as their player settled the ball within a couple yards of the goal and hit a very hard shot low at the first post. Despite the Bears’ previous struggles to create offensive chances, Edwards was ready for action when it mattered, as he showed off his reflexes with a heroic save that kept Brown off the board. 

Unfortunately, the subsequent corner, which was whipped into a crowded six-yard box, was headed into the net by Harri Sprofera. The game was now 2–1 in the 76th minute. Despite Yale’s dominant performance, Brown was a late goal away from tying the game – and with Brown having done exactly that in the semi-final against Penn, Yale fans were unable to relax until the final whistle. 

The Bulldogs held off their opponents’ attacking efforts for the remaining 14 minutes, proving themselves victorious after 90 minutes. After a blowout win against Havard in the semi-finals and a dominant but narrow win against Brown in the final, the Yale men’s soccer team was crowned Champions of the Ivy League Tournament. 

“It’s good to have all the hard work and sacrifice pay off,” captain Jake Schaffer ’24 told the News. “I’m proud of all 31 guys on the team for everything they have done this season.”

The team will surely make some time to celebrate their victory before getting back to work, as their win extended their season by securing them a spot in the NCAA Division 1 Tournament. The single-elimination tournament will feature 48 teams competing for a national championship: 23 conference champions who earned automatic bids and 25 teams selected by the NCAA D1 Men’s Soccer Committee. The Bulldogs first round matchup will be against Bryant University this Thursday, November 16th, at 6 p.m. in Rhode Island.

The first time the Yale men’s soccer team qualified for the NCAA tournament was exactly 50 years ago in 1973. 

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Before the game’s 4 p.m. kickoff, fans and players alike celebrated the members of this year’s graduating class for Senior Day. Chris Edwards ’24, Jake Schaffer ’24, Kai Moos ’24, Max Rogers ’24, Olivier Van Spaendonck ’24 and Eric Lagos ’24 were commended for their time on the team and their place in the Yale soccer community. 

The Bulldogs had a chance to clinch the regular season Ivy title, but the outcome was not fully in their hands. In order to do so, Yale needed to win against Brown and have the University of Pennsylvania (7–3–5, 4–1–2 Ivy) not win their game against Princeton University (4–8–3, 1–4–2 Ivy). 

The game was tightly contested throughout, with swings in momentum seeing both Brown and Yale have periods of sustained attacking. Both teams recorded nearly the same amount of shots, 10 to nine in favor of the Bulldogs. Yale almost converted a couple of shots from within the penalty box, but in the end did not score. The game ended 0–0. Experience the thrill of live scores with Sport Score.

With Penn defeating Princeton, the tie was not as consequential as it could have been. Still, the ever-competitive Yale players were left hoping to prove themselves in the postseason tournament. 

“​​Sometimes the game is cruel,” Schaffer said. “I thought we had several good chances to score, but the game didn’t go our way. Although we didn’t score, we were able to keep a clean sheet and look forward to securing another on Friday against Harvard.” 

With the regular season coming to an end, a handful of players received special recognition for their play. Five Bulldogs earned All-Ivy honors, with players featured from every positional line. TJ Presthus ’25 and Rogers made the All-Ivy First Team, while Edwards and Lagos made the All-Ivy Second Team. Schaffer earned an Honorable Mention conference selection. 

Lagos led the team in goals with five in 12 games, while Rogers led the team in assists, racking up six in 16 games. Edwards’ goalkeeping and Schaffer’s defense contributed to a strong defensive line that only conceded one goal in their last three games. 

Additionally, Presthus won Ivy League Defensive Player of the League, an honor he said he was proud to have received. 

“Winning Defensive Player of the Year was a goal I set for myself before coming to Yale, so I felt a great deal of pride when I heard the news,” Presthus said. “That being said, I know there is still a lot to play for this season. As great as it feels to get personal accolades, nothing will compare to lifting an Ivy League trophy.”

The team’s next game is in the Ivy League Tournament semi-finals on Friday, Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. against Harvard. The game will be held in Philadelphia, as Penn’s regular season title also granted them the advantage of hosting the tournament. Penn and Brown will face off for the other semi-final, to be played at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Each game’s respective winners will then face off in the championship game on Sunday at 1 p.m. 

Presthus expressed, on behalf of the team and coaching staff, his appreciation for Yale fans and their continued support throughout the season. Students wishing to continue to support the team at the Ivy League Tournament get free admission with a student ID. Presthus told the News they are hoping for as much support as possible in Philadelphia, and reminded those who cannot make it that they can watch the games through ESPN+ and support the team on social media.

“Hopefully we make everyone proud while we’re away,” Presthus said. 

The last time Yale and Havard played each other was in Cambridge for their regular season matchup on Oct. 14. The Bulldogs outperformed their rivals in both shots and shots on goal, and even managed to take the lead in the 61st minute. Despite a strong performance throughout most of the game, the Bulldogs struggled in the last half hour and eventually fell to the Crimson 3–1. 

If a semi-final matchup against their rivals wasn’t motivating enough, the players are also sure to be seeking revenge. Schaffer told the News the team is emphasizing a complete 90-minute performance this time around, while coach Kylie Stannard mentioned the importance of key moments. 

“Both teams have good players and will be well prepared so it really comes down to who makes the necessary plays in the penalty boxes as that is what the game always comes down to,” Stannard said. 

Speaking about their preparation, Schaffer commented that there has been a higher level of intensity in training for the tournament. Specifically regarding their defensive preparation, Presthus said that the main objective is to stay compact and win the second balls throughout the match. 

According to the Defensive Player of the Year, disrupting the Harvard style of play will be key to Yale’s defensive success. As for key matchups, the Crimson’s star player is Alessandro Arlotti, who had the most offensive production on the team with six goals and six assists and won Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year. 

The Bulldogs are ready to take on Harvard and have their eyes set on silverware as they hope to win the first ever Ivy League Men’s Soccer tournament. With glory in sight, the stakes are as high as ever. 

“It’s simple — win or go home,” Schaffer said. 

Edwards leads the league in minutes played as the only player to play every minute of his team’s games. 

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The Bulldogs got off to a hot start, with Max Rogers ’25 and Eric Lagos ’24 firing off a couple of shots in the opening minutes. In the 28th minute, a pass from Quanah Brayboy ’25 allowed Rogers to go on a run past the Cornell defense. Rogers slotted the ball into the net, giving Yale the 1–0 lead. A strong defensive performance prevented Cornell from registering any shots on goal in the first half, and Yale went into halftime with a one goal lead. 

Speaking with the News, defender and captain Jake Schaffer ’24 highlighted three of his teammates for their unseen work this year: Sam Harshe ’25, Diego Zaffanella ’26 and Jonathan Seidman ’25. 

“You won’t see any of them on the scorecard, but all three do a ton of dirty work — tackles, running, etc. — that helped us keep a clean sheet,” Schaffer said. 

In the second half, both teams had a few chances to score, but neither scored additional goals until late in the game. With only six minutes left, Brayboy tallied his second assist of the game as Lagos brought the score to 2–0 and sealed the win for Yale. 

Lagos and Rogers have a combined six goals and four assists over the team’s six conference games. Rogers attributed their success to the team’s understanding of their individual strengths, saying that they have been put in positions where they can shine. 

Rogers told the News he operates best in the half spaces and pockets between the opposition’s lines, where he can receive the ball on a half turn and have the option to pass, cross or shoot. As for Lagos, the forward thrives on balls played into channels and behind the defense, where he uses his exceptional pace and power to finish chances. 

Lagos told the News that his chemistry with Rogers is very good, and he hopes their connection and form carry on into the Ivy Tournament. 

“Max [Rogers] has been excellent at getting me chances in front of goal,” Lagos said. “I just have to keep focusing on putting them away. I definitely owe him a couple more assists this season.”

The win kept the Bulldogs first in the Ivy standings, tied with Penn (6–3–5, 3–1–2 Ivy) and Harvard (5–4–6, 3–1–2 Ivy). It also clinched them a spot in the first ever Ivy League Men’s Soccer Tournament. 

The tournament will see the top four teams in the Ancient Eight face off in a set of semi-finals determined by regular season seeding, both of which will be played on Friday, Nov. 10. The winner of each semi-final will advance to the championship game on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 1p.m. The champion’s season would then continue, as the tournament’s winner earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. While the team is proud of their season so far, team members told the News they know there the most important games lie ahead.

“We are absolutely thrilled to reach the Ivy Tournament, but it is no less than what we expected of ourselves coming into the season,” Rogers said. “The message in the locker room is definitely that the job is nowhere near done.”

The regular season’s final gameweek will determine the regular season champions — who will also get the advantage of hosting the Ivy Tournament. With a three way tie atop the table, each team’s final regular season game will be crucial. In almost all scenarios, a tie for first place would not favor the Bulldogs based on the tie-breaking rules. Therefore, Yale will look to pick up more points this weekend than Harvard and Penn. 

With the seeding up in the air, each team will be only focused on the game in hand. This does not mean, however, that all postseason matchups are created equally in the eyes of Yale players. 

“There are no teams that we want to avoid in the tournament, but there is one that we hope to play — Harvard,” Schaffer said. 

According to the captain, the team wants a chance to avenge their regular season loss to their biggest rivals. 

Yale’s final regular season game will be against Brown (5–4–6, 2–0–4 Ivy), the only team in the Ivy yet to lose a conference game. With Brown’s spot in the postseason tournament on the line, the Elis can expect the game to be intense until the very last minute. 

The Bulldogs final regular season game will be played on Saturday, Nov. 4 at Reese Stadium in New Haven. 

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The team met their rivals in Cambridge on Saturday, Oct. 14. The Bulldogs started off strong against Harvard but were unable to score in the first half despite registering seven more shots than their opponents, having a goal disallowed for an offsides call and hitting the crossbar. 

The team finally managed to get on the board in the 61st minute thanks to a goal by Joseph Farouz ’27 off a corner kick. The celebrations would not last long as Harvard responded just two minutes later with a goal of their own, tying the game at 1–1. The last ten minutes of the game saw tragedy for the Bulldogs as Harvard took the lead in the 80th minute off of a corner of their own. A last minute goal by Harvard brought the final score to 3–1. 

“The Harvard game was super tough because we were the much better team for 65 minutes,” goalie Chris Edwards ’24 said. “We just couldn’t finish our chances.” 

Coach Kylie Stannard said she gives Harvard credit for capitalizing on their chances but added that Yale’s first half goal should not have been called offsides. The team did not have time to think about any missed chances or calls as their focus shifted to their game against defending NCAA Champions and No. 21 nationally ranked Syracuse on Wednesday, Oct. 18. 

The game proved to be as challenging as expected, with Syracuse taking a 1–0 lead in the 20th minute thanks to a goal by Felipe D’Agostini. Just two minutes later, D’Agostini registered his second goal of the game to double their lead. From there, it was a tough physical battle that saw the Bulldogs pick up seven yellow cards after the 40th minute, the last one a questionable second yellow for defender Jake Schaffer ’24 that left Yale down a man for the last 12 minutes of the game. A 90th minute penalty save by Edwards left the final score 2–0 in favor of last year’s champions. 

Schaffer, the team’s captain, told the News that the team performed well despite the losses, and will always take every game as an opportunity to learn. The team needed to bounce back against Columbia on Sunday in order to stay competitive in the Ivy standings.

“It’s easy to get complacent when you’re seven games unbeaten so we just emphasized getting back to the basics and doing the little things well,” Edwards said. 

After another scoreless first half, the Bulldogs looked to bring home the much-needed win in the second half. In the 64th minute, a pinpoint cross by Max Rogers ’24 was headed home by Eric Lagos ’24 to give Yale a narrow lead. Columbia managed to tie the game in the 78th minute as the Bulldogs faced another possible late-game disappointment. 

However, another heroic link-up play by Rogers and Lagos in the 82nd minute gave Yale fans reason to celebrate as the Bulldogs’ leading assist-maker sent the team’s leading scorer through on goal. Lagos converted his second goal of the game to retake the lead and give Yale the 2–1 win. 

“I am very proud of how the guys responded after Columbia got their equalizer,” Stannard said to Yale Athletics. “Ultimately, it took a couple special plays by Eric Lagos and Max Rogers to find the goals today and hopefully they have some more in them in the coming games.”

The victory left Yale at the top of the Ivy standings alongside Cornell (8–3–2, 2–1–2 Ivy), Penn (5–3–5, 2–1–2 Ivy) and Havard. The No. 1 seed gets the advantage of hosting the Ivy League Tournament, so with only two more games left in the regular season the Bulldogs will look to finish the season strong. 

The Bulldogs will face Cornell in Ithaca on Saturday, Oct. 28, and finish the regular season at home against Brown (4–4–6, 1–0–4 Ivy) a week later on Nov. 4. Cornell is currently ranked 27th in the country, the best of any Ivy League team. 

“We need to approach these last two games as any other game this season,” Schaffer said. “If we start changing things now, it can allow doubt, stress, or anxiety to creep in. We need to stick to what has worked for us and take pride in our final two regular-season performances.”

The Bulldogs last won the Ivy League in 2019. 

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The 2–0 win against Dartmouth brought them to second place in the Ivy standings. The 1–0 victory over Boston College extended their undefeated streak to seven games. 

The Bulldogs faced off against Dartmouth at Reese Stadium on Saturday night hoping to get their first conference win of the season. The game started out favorably for Yale as BC defender Orrett Maine was sent off with a red card in the 25th minute, leaving the Bulldogs a man up for the rest of the game. With six minutes left in the first half, Max Rogers ’25 scored a beautiful free kick from the right side of the box. The curved shot into the upper left corner gave the Bulldogs a 1–0 lead. 

Rogers told the News that the goal was no coincidence. 

“Believe it or not, I was practicing that exact freekick from the same angle during the week leading up to Dartmouth,” Rogers said. “Guess it helped!” 

The Bulldogs defense proved stifling throughout the 90 minutes as Dartmouth only managed to register two shots — neither one on target. A goal in the 74th minute by Yasin Aly ’25 made it 2–0 and assured Yale would pick up a crucial Ancient 8 win. 

With the win being Dartmouth’s first Ivy League loss, the Bulldogs are now within one point of first place. Coach Kylie Stannard said that the team’s success against Dartmouth could partially be attributed to the pressure and motivation associated with the game.

“We were disappointed that we hadn’t put together a full 90 minute performance in our Ivy games to that point so we talked a lot about that,” Stannard said. “Additionally, we felt we let one get away from us last year at Dartmouth and we were further motivated to avenge that performance.”

The team looked to improve their away record with their game against Boston College on Tuesday. The Bulldogs had another strong first half showing. In the 23rd minute, TJ Presthus ’24 converted a penalty won by Eric Lagos ’24 to give them a 1–0 lead. Just five minutes later, Diego Zaffanella ’26 was denied by the post as his shot was inches from doubling Yale’s lead. 

The second half went by without any additional goals, and Yale secured a 1–0 win away from home. Stannard told the News before the game that it was one of the team’s objectives to improve their performances on the road. Not only did they accomplish that, they also extended their recent good form. The team is undefeated over the last month, picking up five wins and four clean sheets over seven games. Captain and defender Jake Schaffer ’24 said that the team takes pride in earning clean sheets. 

“It took us a few games to gel as a team, and now we’ve figured out our identity,” Schaffer said. “It isn’t just the defenders, but all 11 guys have worked incredibly hard defensively over the past seven games.”

The team picked up momentum at the right time, as they face Harvard (2–3–6, 1–0–2 Ivy) this Saturday for one of the season’s most anticipated games. The teams have the same Ivy record, meaning that the rivalry game will be important for the conference standings. 

It will be the first Yale–Harvard game played in Cambridge since 2018, which seems to be bringing out the team’s competitive nature. 

“We’re especially excited to play at Harvard,” Schaffer said. “We’ve done well at home this season, but we’re looking to prove that we can dominate on the road. We’re all looking forward to playing in front of the hostile crowd and taking the game to them.”

Harvard is 0–1–6 at home this season.

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In the first half, the Tigers seemed to slightly outperform Yale. Princeton registered six shots and won four corners, while Yale was only able to create two shots and one corner. The half’s closest goal-scoring chance came from a Princeton corner, when a Princeton header hit the post, but was cleared to safety by Yale defender TJ Presthus ’25. Despite any disparity in chances or performance, the game went into halftime still tied 0–0. 

Coach Kylie Stannard described Yale’s start to the game as uncharacteristic and pointed towards energy and mentality as two areas for improvement. Fortunately, the Bulldogs did just that, and put themselves ahead just six minutes into the second half. A pass from Eric Lagos ’24 found Joseph Farouz ’27, whose shot brought the score to 1–0. The first year has now scored in back-to-back games, adding to the positive impact the team’s younger players have had this season. 

“It has been fun to watch some of the younger guys step up,” goalkeeper Chris Edwards ’24 said.  “Some freshmen have been scoring goals and getting assists. Others have been pushing us in practice, making guys better. Or they just bring really good energy from the bench.”

From there, it was a back-and-forth game, with the Bulldogs putting on a stronger second half performance. The game remained 1–0 until an unfortunate moment of brilliance from Princeton’s Will Francis in the 84th minute. A one-two pass from the left side of the field found him about five yards from the top of the box where he hit an unsavable shot into the top right corner. The game ended 1–1. 

Edwards spoke to the News on the importance of playing the whole 90 minutes in order to maintain their lead. He recalled late goals conceded against UConn, SMU and Penn — the latter two costing the team valuable points. 

Although the Bulldogs are still fighting for their first Ivy win, the tie was enough to maintain their unbeaten run — which is now up to five games. The impressive streak still leaves room for improvement, as the team sits at midtable in conference standings. 

“We’re looking to learn from our successes and failures from Princeton and use them moving forward,” captain Jake Schaffer ’24 said.

The team’s next opponent will be Dartmouth (4–4–1, 2–0–0 Ivy), who are currently first place in the Ivy League with six points. Their victories came against Penn and Princeton, two teams the Bulldogs tied. 

The game should be an evenly contested affair. The teams have similar overall records and have each won their respective home games over the other in the last two years. The Bulldogs will have some much appreciated rest before playing Dartmouth, as their schedule did not have their usual midweek game. 

“It will be nice to have a full week to recover after playing nine games in September,” Stannard said to Yale Athletics. “We will make sure to take full advantage of some physical and mental recovery.”

The Bulldogs will face Dartmouth at Reese Stadium this Saturday at 7 p.m., and then head to Massachusetts to play Boston College on Tuesday, Oct. 10. 

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On Saturday, Sept. 30, the Yale women’s soccer team hit the road to play the UPenn team at Rhodes Field in Philadelphia. The Elis started the game off strong. 

Forward Anita Thorvaldsdottir ’27 secured a goal in the sixth minute off of an assist from Ellie Rappole ’25. The team was then able to hold off the Quaker’s attack for 24 minutes until they gained momentum and scored in the 30th minute. 

“We did a great job of responding to the adversity but need to start the game with more urgency,” UPenn head coach Krissy Turner said to Penn Athletics. 

Yale had eight total shots on goal, giving UPenn a few opportunities to claim the victory.

But the Bulldogs struggled to put the ball in the back of the net for the rest of the game. 

“Our message to our team has and continues to be focusing on our ability to seal games when we have momentum,” Yale head coach Sarah Martinez wrote to the News. “Penn had a stretch of play in the first half that gave us some problems and we went away from our style of play for a bit which resulted in their goal. Once we went back to ourselves in the second half, keeping the ball and being patient, we created enough chances to find a game winner but again just couldn’t convert.” 

A common theme for the Bulldogs this season seems to be an emphasis on the idea of what it means to be a team — playing together, growing together and celebrating together. 

This focus on playing as a team is a hallmark of Yale’s style, and is what allowed them to score very early on in the first half. 

“I think Anita’s goal was a memorable moment for me,” captain Chloe Laureano ’24 wrote to the News. “I think it was extremely representative of our style of play; It was a true team effort in the build up, a wonderful cross from Ellie, and a well-timed finish from Anita.” 

Laureano said she looks forward to other moments like these during that season that demonstrate their teamwork. 

Although it didn’t show on the scoreboard, the Elis displayed exceptional performance and have been doing so throughout the season, Martinez told the News. 

“To be honest we have had a great start overall in our quality of play,” wrote Martinez. “This team is very different than what we’ve seen in the past.”

The Bulldogs hosted Brown on Oct. 4 in a midweek game, which was no small feat considering Brown has been the Ivy League Champion for the past three years. Although they fought hard, the Bulldogs fell to the Bears 4–1. 

The Bulldogs play next this Saturday against Princeton University at the Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium in New Jersey. 

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Penn was last year’s Ivy League champion; in this year’s preseason poll, the Quakers were voted favorite to once again win this year’s Ivy conference, meaning the Bulldogs’ first Ivy League game would be a difficult one. The game was scoreless in the first half despite a couple of scoring chances from either team. 

But in the 53rd minute, Max Rogers ’24 gave the Bulldogs the lead thanks to an assist from Eric Lagos. 

From there, the game got chippy, with three yellow cards handed out within one minute, contributing to the eight total throughout the game. In the 65th minute, Penn was able to tie the score with a header from Brandon Curran. The end of the game saw some close chances, including a penalty miss from Penn’s Stas Korzeniowski that hit the crossbar. Still, the game ended in a tie. 

“The game against Penn was not our best performance,” captain Jake Schaffer ’24 said, “But it was positive given the circumstances: weather, being away, PK in the last 5 mins.”

Schaffer said that they could have won the game, but the team was fine having picked up a point. He added that the team’s focus is on consistent performances. 

Rogers said that there is a massive difference between non-conference and Ivy League games, describing the latter as scrappy affairs in which anyone can beat anyone. He emphasized the importance of winning the mental battle in these games. 

“Penn are always a dangerous team that historically we have struggled to beat,” Rogers said. “I think the difference between this year and last year was our mentality going into the game. We really embraced the idea of being underdogs this time around.”

The team stayed in Philadelphia after the Penn game and had a day off before their Monday game against St. Joseph’s. The team attended a lunch hosted by Yale men’s soccer alum Matt Wallach ’94 and celebrated the birthday of midfielder Quanah Brayboy ’25. 

According to first-year Joseph Farouz ’27, these opportunities to bond are important for the team. He told the News that the trip was long and tiring, with a very quick turnaround between games, but that the team handled it well and remained focused and united. 

“It’s always important to ensure that we’re doing something together and as a team,” Farouz said. 

The team took on St. Joseph’s in a game that featured plenty of goals, as the Bulldogs needed to score a season-high three goals in order to win. With the Hawks scoring the first goal of the game in the 27th minute, Yale had an uphill climb to victory. Fortunately for them, they were able to tie the game two minutes before halftime with a goal from Olivier Van Spaendonck ’24.

Ten minutes into the second half, Rogers sent in a cross that, after a rebound from the Hawks’ goalie, was put into the goal by Farouz. In the 60th minute, just five minutes after Farouz’s first collegiate goal gave them the lead, Alex Umana ’26 headed in another one of Rogers’ crosses to bring the game to 3–1. Despite scoring in the 72nd minute, the Hawks were not able to overcome the deficit, and Yale won 3–2.

“I feel extremely grateful to have scored my first goal for the program,” Farouz said. “I always say goalscoring is a mentality so seeing one hit the back of the net signifies that more goals are coming.”

The team’s strong performances have brought them good results as of late. Despite a rough start to the season, they are 3–0–1 over the last four games. Asked about their recent success, Schaffer told the News that the unbeaten streak provides additional motivation for the team.

The Bulldogs will look to continue their streak in New Haven this weekend, facing off against Princeton on Sept. 30 and then a week later against Dartmouth on Oct. 7.

“We’ve been great at home this season and [we] want to keep it rolling,” Schaffer said. “These two games should be battles, and I hope everyone comes out to support us!” The Bulldogs are one of three Ivy League teams to be Top 50 in this week’s NCAA Men’s Soccer RPI Rankings.

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Yale’s victory in its first-ever matchup against Irvine was, in large part, the result of a 90-minute defensive effort by the Bulldogs, as the team only saw one shot on goal the entire game. The offense proved decisive, with Simon Adjakple ’27 and Jonathan Seidman ’25 both scoring their first collegiate goals. Adjakple opened the scoring when he put away a cross from Joseph Farouz ’27 with less than 20 seconds left in the first half. Seidman made it 2-0 in the 57th minute, this time assisted by Max Rogers ’24.

“It feels amazing to have scored my first goal for the program,” Adjakple said. “Helping the team win is my number one objective and thankfully I played a decisive role in making that happen.”

The game against Colgate proved to be a similar contest, with the Bulldogs scoring two goals to turn another great defensive showing into a win. The first goal came in the 13th minute, when TJ Presthus ’25 converted a penalty with a clinical shot to the upper-right corner of the goal. Just before halftime, Ryan Cote ’25 doubled the teams’ lead by putting away a deflected cross from Farouz. With only two shots on goal against Yale all game, and with no goals scored in the second half, Yale won the game 2-0.

The two victories were important to the team beyond the result, as they were able to actualize some of their pre-season goals. For one, the team showcased their strong defense, as defender and captain Jake Schaffer ’24 told the News. 

“Our defense has been fantastic from front to back,” Schaffer said. “We take pride in earning clean sheets.”

Another objective from before the season was to win as many home games as possible, an effort that was greatly improved with the two wins this week. Adjakple referred to Reese Stadium as a fortress, and told the News that the team has the mentality that no one should beat them on their home turf. The Bulldogs are now 3-1 at home. 

The Bulldogs’ next opponent will be Penn on Saturday, Sept. 23. Yale’s first Ivy League game will be a challenge, as Penn was voted the preseason favorite to win the conference. Schaffer reiterated his statement from a few weeks ago regarding the Penn game, saying that it’s a game they’ve circled on their calendar. According to Schaffer, the conference as a whole is very competitive.  

“Every [conference] game is going to be a battle,” Schaffer said. “We plan on approaching every game with the same mindset.” 

In preparation for the game, the team’s upperclassmen have relayed the spirit and intensity of the Ivy League to the first years. Adjakple said the older players referred to the conference as “a different beast.”

Members of Yale’s student body have also expressed interest in the conference games, with one supporter at the game against Colgate saying he’s looking forward to Penn in particular. cq

“I always tune into the Ivy League games,” RJ Kelly ’25 told the News. “We as fans also keep rivalries in mind … we want revenge on Penn for last year.” 

The Bulldogs have not beaten the Quakers since 2012. 

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On Friday, the Bulldogs defeated the University of Connecticut Huskies with a final score of 2-1. It was a contest full of goal-scoring chances for both teams, and it proved captivating enough to keep the crowd’s attention through nearly two hours of rain delays. 

The game was originally set to start at 7 p.m., but inclement weather pushed kickoff to 7:35 p.m., with neither team aware that there would be further delays. 

“It’s easy to get distracted when your pregame routine is thrown off,” Yale goalkeeper Chris Edwards ’24 said. “We had to stay extra focused.” 

Despite the delay, the teams were sharp from the first whistle, and both goalies were put to the test within the first ten minutes of play. Edwards made the night’s first save in the sixth minute, which UConn’s Jayden Hibbert matched with a double save in the eighth minute. Edwards continued his stellar start with an impressive kick save in the 29th minute, preventing a counterattack goal and keeping the game scoreless. 

At roughly 8:25 p.m., with seven minutes left to play in the first half, fans and players alike went from confused to disappointed as the game was delayed once more due to lightning. Attendants at Reese Stadium waited patiently as the announced recommencing time changed from 8:50 to 9:15 to 9:30 p.m. 

“The delay in the middle of the game slowed everything down and took some energy from the game,” Edwards said. “But it also gave us almost an hour to make adjustments and discuss the things that were working and the things that weren’t.” 

After the delay, the teams finished the first half scoreless. The second half would prove to be a different story. Just five minutes into the second half, a cross from Max Rogers ’24 found its way toward the back post where Quanah Brayboy ’25 played a one-touch pass to Yale striker Eric Lagos ’24. Lagos converted the chance and gave the Bulldogs their first goal of the season. 

Just two minutes later, Yale took advantage of this momentum and quickly doubled its lead. After Joseph Farouz ’27 won the ball near half field and found Kai Moos ’24 on the right wing, Moos crossed the ball into the box. Lagos, in true #9 fashion, buried a header into the UConn net to complete his brace and put Yale up 2-0 in the 52nd minute of the game. 

“The rain delay personally helped me get back on the field in the second half,” Lagos said. “I went down injured in the first half and the extra time allowed me to recover before the start of the second half.” 

While the mid-game delay may have proved beneficial to the Bulldogs, the game was far from over. With the spotlight now on the team’s defense to secure the game, one of Yale’s supposed strong suits lived up to the challenge. Edwards proved crucial once again with an extraordinary save in the 70th minute. The Huskies managed to get on the scoreboard with less than two minutes to go in the game thanks to a header by Lucas Almeida. However, it proved to be too little too late, and Yale was victorious.

Thanks to a combined defensive and offensive effort, along with some standout players, Yale secured its second win against UConn since 2003. The 2-1 victory also marked the first of the 2023 season for the Bulldogs.

“It’s hard to describe how amazing it feels to celebrate in the corner with your teammates,” Lagos said. “I was relieved when the final whistle blew considering all the saves Chris had to make.” 

After a drawn out and tiring game against UConn, the team had to quickly shift its focus to Monday’s game against Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. 

While traveling does provide some added difficulties, Coach Kylie Stannard said it was nothing out of the ordinary. 

“We are used to quick turnarounds in college soccer, especially early in the season when we have the bulk of our non-conference games,” Stannard said. “Adding a flight to this turnaround is an extra challenge but all of the guys we have in the team have made trips like this in the past while at Yale or within their youth club environments.”

Stannard also said there are some advantages to being the away team on a weekday, as the team is able to rest more than normal and focus on physical, mental and tactical preparation. Stannard told the News that it can help them be even more focused at times. 

Edwards also commented on the travel, adding that it is interesting to play teams from different regions in order to see varying styles of play and field surfaces. He also shared that the travel can be great for team chemistry. 

“You are with all of your teammates the entire time,” Edwards said. “Eating, playing games, walking around or just hanging.”

The game against SMU featured heartbreaking moments for Yale at both beginning and end. In the third minute of the game, Rogers took a freekick that hit the post, and the resulting rebound was put into the goal. Unfortunately, the goal was rescinded due to an offside call. From then on, it was a tight contest that saw Edwards’ saves keep the score locked at 0-0. 

The closing minutes of the game brought tragedy for Yale, as an 86th-minute goal by SMU’s Fredrik Skilberg proved to be decisive. Despite a strong effort and a disallowed goal, Yale lost the game 1-0. 

“We definitely feel we deserved more from the game with a very strong performance,” Stannard said. “Even if that was coming away with a clean sheet and a draw against such a strong opponent on the road … We are strong defensively but we also need to make sure we learn even more what it takes to finish a game for the full 90 minutes and earn shutouts. If we do that, we can accomplish great things.”

The Bulldogs’ next two games will be back at home: first against the University of California, Irvine, on Saturday, Sept. 16, and then against Colgate on Tuesday, Sept. 19.

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