Yale kept its slim Ivy League title hopes alive on Saturday, holding Princeton scoreless, 14-0, for the first time in 71 years.

The victory moves the Elis one step closer to an Ivy League title, though they still will need some help next weekend in order to make it happen. Yale will win a share of the Ivy League championship if first place Brown loses to Columbia and the Elis beat Harvard in The Game.

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In front of an announced crowd of only 5,711 on a rain-soaked afternoon, Brook Hart ’11 connected with Jordan Forney ’11 for a pair of touchdown passes.

Meanwhile, the Bulldog defense held firm for all four quarters. The unit held Princeton to 96 yards rushing and 57 yards passing, forced four turnovers and allowed the Tigers past midfield only four times — twice for just one play.

“I think for the second week in a row, the game went the way we wanted it to go,” head coach Jack Siedlecki said. “We didn’t have any turnovers, they had two that we converted into touchdowns. … I just thought we played a complete game.”

The Bulldogs (6-3, 4-2) got all the points they needed in the first half when tailback Mike McLeod ’09, last year’s Ivy League MVP, rushed for 70 of his game-high 138 yards.

Yale took advantage of the slick field conditions when Larry Abare ’10 recovered a Princeton fumble at the Tigers’ 24 yard line on the second play of the game. Four plays later, Hart hit Forney on a 5-yard touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead.

Bobby Abare’s ’09 interception and 11-yard return to the Princeton 17 yard line set up the Bulldogs’ second touchdown, Hart’s 12-yard pass to Forney for a 14-0 halftime lead.

The interception was the 10th of Abare’s career, the most ever by a Yale linebacker.

“We just took it one play at a time,” the Yale captain said. “I don’t think one particular play stood out; it was just a constant effort to come after them every play.”

Princeton’s deepest penetration of the game ended at the Yale 34 yard line, where the Tigers (3-6, 2-4) were held on downs with 1:25 to play in the first half.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

For live updates from the Yale Bowl, see the News’ sports blog.