Courtesy of Yale Athletics

This past week, the Yale women’s soccer team (4–3, 0–0 Ivy) ventured to Storrs, Conn. on Thursday, and traveled to South Orange, N.J. on Sunday for two away games. 

The Elis fell to in-state rival UConn (6–1–1, 0–0 Big East) in a 2–1 game at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium but came on top in a 1–0 game against Seton Hall Pirates (3–5–1, 0–0 Big East). 

The game against the Huskies began with the usual quiet front from the Bulldogs, who made aggressive moves toward the goal but had only one shot in the entire first half. At 21 minutes into the game, UConn’s Chioma Okafor secured the first goal, giving the Huskies the lead.

Okafor was a 2023 third-team All-American pick for the Huskies and proved to be a difficult obstacle for the Bulldogs to surmount over the remainder of the 90-minute match.

Shortly after the 21st-minute goal, Okafor scored again, putting Yale in a 2–0 deficit going into the second period. 

This lack of momentum at the beginning of games is exactly what Head Coach Sarah Martinez wants her team to improve upon over the course of the season.

In previous matchups, Yale has waited until late in the game to score. In the team’s first game of the season against Hofstra (2–1–4, 0–0 CAA), the Elis fell to a 2–0 deficit before scoring a goal all too late. The pattern continued against Stony Brook (5–2–1, 0–0 CAA), where the Bulldogs scored the only goal of the game at 71:50. Yale lost and won those games, respectively.

“We have to continue to challenge our group to start games as strong as we finish,” Martinez told Yale Athletics. “Going down two goals in the first half is a tough task for anyone, especially on the road. When we can put together a full 90-minute performance, our results will follow.”

After the first half, Yale fashioned together a goal, cutting UConn’s lead in half. Forward Vienna Lundstedt ’28 notched the first goal of her career after the Bulldogs lost a player via red card. 

Despite the momentum shift, Yale was unable to take control of the match, and their fate was sealed in a 2–1 loss. 

“I was happy with our second-half performance,” Martinez told Yale Athletics. “Cutting the lead during that stretch and having multiple chances late to equalize as well.”

On Sunday, the team hit the road again — this time to South Orange, N.J. — taking on the Seton Hall Pirates.

The one and only goal of the game against Seton Hall was scored in the 34th minute, a triumph by Phebe Ryan ’28 on an assist by Lundstedt. The real performance came through on the Bulldogs’ defense, led by goalkeeper Kyla Holmes ’27.

Holmes, who has shared much of her time defending the goal this season with rookie Anna Shamgochian ’28, showed herself as a mainstay on defense with a career-high nine saves and 19 shots faced.

“We weathered a bit of a storm in the second half, but Kyla stepped up big and so did our entire team,” Martinez said. “We played with depth today and any time you can head home with a win on the road is a good day.”

The Bulldogs will come home to Reese Stadium to host Sacred Heart University (0–6–1, 0–2 MAAC) on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m.