Courtesy of Sam Rubin '95

At Saturday’s season-opening game, the Yale women’s lacrosse team (1–0, 0–0 Ivy) rolled over Sacred Heart (0–1, 0–0 NEC) in a 15–4 victory. 

The team, ranked in No. 7 in the Ivy League preseason poll, started strong, showcasing its depth and ability with the ball. 11 different players notched goals on Saturday afternoon in a game that was the first competitive collegiate match for many players on the team.

“Moving forward it would be ideal to continue the season adapting and making in-game changes when necessary,” midfielder Alex Hopkins ’25 said. 

Attacker Brianna Carrasquillo ’24 and midfielder Fallon Vaughn ’25 were responsible for the first six goals of the game, each notching a hat trick on the day. Attacker Liv Penoyer ’23 tallied a total of four assists and one goal, showing tremendous skill and flair with the ball. 

Carrasquillo and Vaughn’s sisters also shone in the match, with midfielder Sky Carrasquillo ’25 scoring a goal and midfielder Payton Vaughn ’23 showcased her defensive skill and hustle on both ends of the field. 

The determination of the team as a whole was displayed by its ability to play through the inclement weather. The team was unphased by the hour-long weather delay that took place part way through the second quarter and continued to battle Sacred Heart despite snow covering the turf, winds racing and frigid temperatures all day. Yale used each break to make adjustments, re-center themselves and improve as a unit.

“​​We are so happy and grateful to be back out on the field,” head coach Erica Bamford said to Yale Athletics. “Our women did a tremendous job preparing and executing today despite the adverse conditions.”

Beyond the weather, power issues left much of the equipment at Reese stadium faulty. The bottom half of the video board was left black while the scoreboard was completely out. Players and fans had to keep track of the score with their memory alone. 

On the back half of the field, the defense was aggressive in shutting the Pioneers out in the first quarter. Goalkeeper Cami Donadio ’25 was cool and collected with five saves throughout the game. As the game progressed, Yale rookies and non-starts took the field, showing the team’s tremendous depth and bright future. 

The Pioneers made some changes and improved their play a great deal in the second half, but the talent, speed and aggression of the Bulldogs proved too much for them to handle. In addition to their 11 goal lead, the Elis controlled essentially every aspect of the game, evident in their 44–13 advantage in shots to Sacred Heart’s 25–15, and 12–7 leads in ground balls and forced turnovers, respectively. 

With Saturday’s blowout, there is much to look forward to for the remainder of the season.

“I’m just really excited that this team has an opportunity to prove ourselves every week,” defender Kelsey Dunn ’22 said. 

The Bulldogs will travel out to central New York to the University at Albany next Saturday for a 12 p.m. draw.

CHRIS BABYAK