Yale Athletics

After a grueling stretch of losses, the women’s soccer team (3–7–0, 1–2–0 Ivy) emerged victorious after their contest with Princeton Saturday. (2–5–3, 1–2–0).

The game started off as a defensive battle between the Bulldogs and the Tigers, with only ten total shots in the first half. The game remained a stalemate until the 81st minute, when defender Alex Chang ’27 ripped a shot from 30 yards out over the Princeton keeper to give Yale the 1–0 lead to close out the game. Assisted by Vienna Lundstedt ’28, the game-winning shot was Chang’s first career goal.

The win was a turning point for the Elis, who had lost seven games in a row before beating Princeton.

“I’m so proud of our team. We have had a tough stretch, but we knew we were doing the right things, and the spell was going to break,” head coach Sarah Martinez said to Yale Athletics. 

Yale was also strong on defense. The Bulldogs held the Tigers without a shot on goal in the first half and only one in the second half. Goalkeeper Kyla Holmes ’26 recorded her second shutout of the season, and the Elis only allowed four corner kicks throughout the entire game. 

“I’m just really glad to help this team. We worked so hard since last year,” Chang said in a postgame interview with ESPN+. “I think we have been doing the right things for so long and we have been working so hard.”

Chang was named Ivy League defensive player of the week for her performance in the game.

The Elis will host Harvard on Sunday.