Steve Musco
The Yale women’s soccer team eked out a 1–1 overtime draw with Colgate College, after a 90-minute weather delay postponed kickoff.
The Elis (1–2–1, 0–0–0 Ivy) entered the game on the back of a disappointing 2–0 loss to Central Connecticut State University (3–1–1, 0–0–0 Northeast) and again struggled against Colgate (1–2–2, 0–0–0 Patriot). The Raiders outshot the Bulldogs 13–1 and 9–1 on shots on target. Were it not for a heroic display from goalkeeper Alyssa Fagel ’20, who made eight saves, the scoreline could have been much less flattering for the Elis.
“Though we didn’t come away with a win, this game was a significant step up from our match against CCSU,” Fagel said. “I am so proud of my teammates for the effort they gave today, regardless of the weather and other difficult circumstances that we had to overcome.”
The weather delay threw off both teams’ rhythms for much of the first half. Neither registered a shot on goal until substitute Mia Grillo ’21 watched her speculative header dribble wide. The first half was defined by Colgate pressing high and trying to force Yale into making an error while passing out from defense.
That strategy worked well for the Raiders. Although Colgate was unable to capitalize in the first half, its careful positioning in Yale territory while the Elis had possession made for some nervy moments.
In the 40th minute, Colgate forward Jenna Borovinsky found herself one-on-one with the keeper. Without the speed to get totally clear of the trailing defenders, though, she instead took an early shot, which Fagel comfortably saved in the middle of the goal. Minutes later, Borovinsky picked off a sloppy pass in the midfield from Fran Steele ’19 and beat one defender, before drawing a good diving save from Fagel again.
After the break, the game picked up significantly. In the 53rd minute, Aerial Chavarin ’20 was able to turn the corner on the right flank after Saje Brar ’22 slipped her the ball. Although Chavarin could not get a cross in before the ball passed the end line, the play was one of Yale’s most positive of the evening.
Moments later, Brar again found herself in possession, but after losing a physical battle, the Raiders quickly countered. For the third time, Borovinsky hit a clean shot on goal, but rather than shooting for the far post, she tried to sneak the ball in the near post, where Fagel stood tall to make another save.
In the 60th minute, the Bulldogs claimed the first lead of the match when Chavarin made a neat turn and sent Brar a ball along the right flank. Showing supreme composure, Brar stood up the Colgate defender, cut in on the end line and unleashed a searing shot high into the near post to give the Bulldogs the lead. For the whole second half, Chavarin dropped into the space between the Raiders’ midfield and defense, and this slightly withdrawn positioning allowed her to find space to operate in Colgate’s half of the field.
Colgate was not done though, and in the 70th minute, Ellis Miller unloaded a shot that went bar down and out. After a moment of thought, the referee called it a goal, saying the ball bounced over the goal line. Yale attempted to respond quickly, and Fagel launched a ball over the Colgate defense to Chavarin in the 79th minute, but the Raiders forced her wide.
In the dying minutes of regulation time, Colgate seemed destined to take the lead with the ball on the goal line, but Fagel made a heroic save to keep the game tied. With 30 seconds left, Colgate again took advantage of Yale’s porous defensive shape to have another shot on goal, but Cosentino’s shot rang off the post and out.
After 10 minutes of overtime, the scores remained level, and Yale escaped with a draw.
“While it felt at times like we were in control of the match, the stats show differently,” Fagel said. “Colgate outshot us and had numerous opportunities where they got in behind our defense. Our team was plagued with numerous injuries during preseason, so players are still rotating positions as the coaches figure out what formation and lineup works best.”
Yale faces Fordham away on Thursday.
Caleb Rhodes | caleb.rhodes@yale.edu