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Following a fighting loss against No. 11 Penn, the Yale women’s lacrosse team is sharpening its sticks as it aims for a win against Brown at Reese Stadium on Saturday.
The last meeting between the two sides saw the Elis (2–2, 0–1 Ivy) fall by a close margin of three goals. The team was outscored 14–11 in Providence, Rhode Island. Prior to last season’s defeat, Yale boasted a seven-game undefeated record against the Bears (3–2, 0–1). The Elis have also maintained a perfect home record against Brown for the past decade, which will provide them with an extra psychological edge this Saturday.
Last Saturday saw the Blue and White face off against the Quakers in an eventual 11–5 defeat. Despite the loss, Yale was able to maintain pace with its nationally-ranked opponents in a number of key statistics, outshooting Penn 32–31 over the course of the tilt and boasting a higher number of efforts on target. The Elis’ average of 38.5 shots a game puts them at second in the nation behind American’s 40.2.
“After the Penn game, we will continue to make adjustments and compete hard in practice,” head coach Erica Bamford said. “The Ivy League is one of the strongest women’s lacrosse conferences in the country and each game will be challenging. Brown is athletic and talented. We look forward to a great game on Saturday.”
As the Elis’ Ancient Eight campaign ramps up into full gear, a number of Elis have stepped up to lead the charge.
Midfielder Olivia Markert ’21 has seen phenomenal returns in front of goal, having scored 13 of her 25 shots on target so far this season. The Centreville, Virginia native has started all four of the team’s games, scoring 4 of her 13 from free position shots.
The Bulldogs’ goalkeeping duo of Clare Boone ’22 and Amelia Drake ’21 have responded to the team’s defensive needs, maintaining the second highest combined save ratio — 48 percent to Penn’s 59 percent — among all Ancient Eight teams.
The Blue and White’s new recruits have also staked their claim on starting spots, with 57 percent of the team’s goals coming from first-year players. Midfielders Bri Carrasquillo ’23 and Ana Dieroff ’23 are currently the team’s second and third highest point earners, respectively. Carrasquillo’s four starts have earned her 10 goals as well as an impressive 28 draw controls, while Dieroff’s tally is inclusive of her six goals and three assists.
“I think we had a really great game against Penn, especially defensively,” Carrasquillo said. “We’re excited for another opportunity this weekend and I think we should do pretty well. We worked super hard offensively this week trying to see what works and what doesn’t, and I think we will have lots of success going into Saturday’s game.”
Brown’s record this season has been spotty. They fell to No. 13 Dartmouth by a single point in its Ivy League opener last Saturday — a match that had to be decided in overtime. The Bears bounced back from their defeat in a midweek game against Holy Cross, besting the Crusaders 14–11.
The Bulldogs take on the Bears at Reese Stadium on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Ryan Chiao | ryan.chiao@yale.edu