WOMEN’S SOCCER: Bulldogs search for first win in New York
After an 0–4 start to the season, Yale women’s soccer takes on Albany on Thursday night and Hofstra on Sunday.
Lukas Flippo, Photo Editor
The Yale women’s soccer team will travel to Albany this Thursday and Hofstra this Sunday looking for its first win of the season.
The Bulldogs (0–4–0, 0–0–0 Ivy) will travel to Casey Stadium in Albany, New York, this Thursday to play the University at Albany (0–3–1, 0–0–0 America East) followed by a Sunday game in Hempstead, New York, against Hofstra (5–1–0, 0–0–0 Colonial). The Bulldogs are coming off a 2–0 home loss to Colgate on Sunday but hope to earn their first tally in the win column this weekend following their season-opening skid.
“We want results, absolutely, but us not having played in two years and having a short preseason, like these growing pains are real,” head coach Sarah Martinez said. “Over half of our team is new, and we’re starting a lot of young players. While it’s tough right now and the growing pains, as we can see in our results, are tough, long term I do [think] it’s going to be great for these young players who are getting real experience. We have talented players, we do.”
In 2019, Yale defeated UAlbany 4–0 in an October nonconference game, with the Bulldogs outshooting the Great Danes 30–4 by the end of the game. This year, UAlbany has five returning all-conference players from last spring season, including America East Striker of the Year and senior forward Jasmine Colbert, who led the program with five game-winning goals last year.
Yale’s two opponents this weekend have already faced off themselves this fall. Albany started its season on Aug. 22 at Hofstra, where the Great Danes lost 2–0. The season-opening loss was followed by two more losses to Central Connecticut State and the University of Connecticut and a 2–2 tie with Cornell.
“We knew that this Hofstra side would be a great test for our team with how much success they’ve had and who they brought back for another year,” UAlbany head coach Leigh Howard told UAlbany Athletics after the game. “Though we are disappointed with the result, we know that this is the type of matchup that better prepares us for what we will face this season.”
The Great Danes were selected to finish fifth in the 2021 America East Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll, which consists of 10 teams. In its 2019 season, UAlbany remained undefeated at Casey Stadium until the America East semifinals and in 2018, they went 8–1–1 at home, in addition to its championship win in the America East Tournament.
Farther out on Long Island, Hofstra has defeated Stony Brook, UAlbany, Brown, Columbia and Penn to start the year. Its sole loss came in a 2–1 game at Penn State on Aug. 29. The Pride are set to play Bucknell at Hofstra Soccer Stadium on Friday, before hosting Yale on Sunday.
In its game against Penn, Hofstra outshot the Quakers 17–7 and scored three goals, one each from first year Georgia Brown, junior Ellen Halseth and senior Miri Taylor, who has had at least one goal or assist in each game this season. Hofstra has also taken at least 15 shots on goal in every match so far this fall.
In the Bulldogs’ most recent game against Hofstra on Labor Day of 2017, Yale secured a 3–2 win in double overtime thanks to a late overtime strike from forward Lydia Shaw ’22.
“We are excited for our first out of state game at Albany and hope to come out with a positive result against a gritty team,” forward and midfielder Tina Teik ’25 said.
The Bulldogs’ next home game at Reese Stadium will take place on Sunday, Sept. 19 against St. John’s.
