Despite being the only undefeated team in the fifth annual Yale Invitational Club Soccer Tournament last Saturday, the Yale women’s club soccer team (2-0-2) only earned 3rd place.

Seven other Northeast Region teams attended: Boston College, Lehigh, Cornell, the College of New Jersey, Brown, University of Connecticut and American University. Last year, only six teams competed and Yale placed 2nd, losing in the finals to the University of Delaware.

In the first game, Yale tied Boston College, each team finishing with one goal apiece. Boston College scored on quick counterattack in the first half, but Yale refused to give up. The Elis’ efforts finally paid off when, with less than five minutes left in the game, forward Lindsay Eisenberg ’07 scored for Yale off of a corner kick taken by co-captain Grace Silvia ’05.

In the second game of the day, Yale blanked Lehigh 3-0. Eisenberg and forward Kara Benson ’06 each scored for the Elis, and midfielder Ali Mazur ’05 finished a corner kick, taken by midfielder Dawn Lippert ’06, for the third goal.

The Bulldogs’ third match against Cornell, which was ranked No. 7 in the Northeast Region, ended in a scoreless tie.

“We held Cornell scoreless with outstanding play by our goalkeeper Rosario Doriott ’07 and by co-captain Carolyn Zabrycki ’04,” Silvia said in an e-mail.

Against Cornell, the Elis’ strategy was to emphasize their strengths.

“Our defense is the best,” Doriott said. “We focused on marking tightly and keeping them from scoring on us. Sure I could take credit for the shutout, but I definitely have to give credit to the defense.”

After the tie with Yale, Cornell won the bracket before falling 2-1 in the finals against the College of New Jersey.

In the consolation match, Yale beat the University of Connecticut on penalty kicks after both teams went scoreless in regulation play.

Midfielder Dawn Lippert ’06, defender Eliza Berman ’07, Silvia ’05 and midfielder Anne Dean ’06 scored on their penalty kicks for the Elis while defender Zabrycki’s shot sailed over the crossbar. Connecticut missed two of their five penalty shots — one hit the crossbar and the other sailed high.

“I love shutouts,” Doriott ’07 said. “It’s not really nerve-wracking because, as a goalkeeper, all the pressure is on the field players. I love upsetting them.”

The Bulldogs said they are looking forward to next weekend, when they will go to Princeton for the Northeast Regional Tournament of the National Association of College Soccer Clubs. With a qualifying performance, the women’s team can spend their Thanksgiving break at the NACSC National Tournament at the University of Alabama.