Courtesy of Yale Athletics

Yesterday, the Yale Women’s Soccer team (7–3, 1–0 Ivy) defeated the Boston University Terriers (2–7–3, 2–0–1 Patriot) 3–0 at home at Reese Stadium.

The first half began quietly, a testament to the strength of defense on both sides. Each turnover proved a grueling battle for the ball, Red clashing with Blue to try and gain ground toward their respective goal. 

Boston secured the first corner kick of the game, putting pressure on goalkeeper Kyla Holmes ’27 from the start. Despite an early opportunity to obtain a lead, Boston’s Hugrún Helgadóttir sent the ball much too high over the crossbar. Nonetheless, the ball stayed on Boston’s side and Yale’s defense remained on high alert. At 8:20, Holmes notched her first and only save needed of the game, laying out and knocking the ball away from the net and sending her team and the crowd into applause. 

Despite the grit of the Terrier defense, the Bulldogs still managed to get near the net. 

At 28:23, Tanner Cahalan ’25 slammed a shot at the top corner of the goal, just ringing off the woodwork and barely relieving the first-year Terrier goalie of a Yale lead. The same pressure followed the goalie when, in the final seconds of the half, she was able to stop an Ashley Kirschner ’26 header from entering the net. The half ended 0–0.

After the break, the Bulldogs got right to work. Annika Bryant ’25, pushing downfield, forced another save from the Terrier goalkeeper, leading the charge for a clash of the canines. Despite valiant efforts from Boston defenders, who fended off shots left and right from the Bulldogs, a fighting shot from Captain Nana Yang ’25 cleared the Terrier defense and gave Yale the lead. This goal was Yang’s first of the season and the fourth of her career.

Head coach Sarah Martinez wrote to the News that she felt her team executed better in the second half on given opportunities such as corner kicks. 

“I think we had some good moments in the first half and the final execution just wasn’t there,” Martinez wrote. “As always we are very dangerous on set pieces. I think we could have scored a couple in the first half off of corners, so I was happy for our group to get 2 of them in the second half.” 

At 78:44, just six minutes after being substituted in, Abigail Solomon ’26 capitalized on a corner kick and scored the second goal of the game. Her first goal of the season was assisted by Yang and Karoline Hernes ’27. 

If the morale of the Boston women’s soccer team had not taken a hit yet, Tina Teik ’25 made sure the ride home would be silent. Off a throw from Alex Chang ’27, Addison Bray ’27 headed a pass to Teik, who sank the third and final goal of the game.

Rhett the Terrier fell to Handsome Dan, 3–0. This was the fourth victory in a row for the Bulldogs. 

Looking ahead, Martinez wrote to the News about her excitement for the upcoming weekend, when her team will celebrate Pride Night with a fundraiser with A Place to Nourish your Health New Haven.

“I’m so excited for our game Saturday,” she said. “The work that has gone into our Pride game, our alumni will be in town, and we are back at home for our first Ivy game at Reese. It should be an electric environment that I know will fuel our group for a good performance.”

The contest came just one day after the announcement of the weekly Ivy League awards, where Ellie Rappole ’25 was named Co-Offensive Player of the Week, an acknowledgement of her game-winning goal against Dartmouth the weekend prior.

Martinez wrote to the News that she was happy to see Rappole get this much-earned recognition.

“She’s a top player and a handful for teams so I am excited to see her continue to grow as the season progresses,” she wrote.

The Bulldogs remain home for their second conference game of the season against the University of Pennsylvania (1–6–3, 0–1 Ivy). They play at Reese Stadium on Oct. 5 at 6 p.m.

MEREDITH HENDERSON
Meredith Henderson covers a variety of sports for the YDN. She is a sophomore in Saybrook College from Keller, Texas. She plays varsity softball and is double-majoring in Psychology and English with a concentration in creative writing.