Liza Kaufman, Photography Editor

The Bulldogs (2–8–3, 1–3–1 Ivy) are set to head south to Philadelphia to face off against the University of Pennsylvania (7–3–4, 2–1–2 Ivy) at Rhodes Field on Saturday. 

With only two games remaining in the Ivy League competition — and just the top half of teams advancing to the Ivy League Tournament — the Bulldogs face two must-win contests to keep their postseason hopes alive. 

“On our end, we know that this is a must win game for us to make the Ivy Tournament this year but at the same time it’s just another game,” goalkeeper Conrad Lee ’26 told the News.

While Princeton and Cornell have already clinched tournament berths, just four points separate the third- and eighth-place teams in the standings, leaving the final two spots up for grabs among the remaining six teams.

Penn’s eight conference points puts the Quakers in third place, behind Cornell with 12 and Princeton with 15. Yale’s four points have them tied for fifth with Harvard, Brown and Columbia. With three points awarded for a win and one for a tie, teams are likely to adopt a more aggressive approach in these closing matches. 

In their recent games, the Elis suffered a one-goal loss to Dartmouth (3–6–3, 2–3–0 Ivy) — despite a strong offensive showing by the Elis, who had more shot attempts than the Big Green — and a 0-4 defeat to the Princeton Tigers, who are currently ranked the top team in the country.  

Now, the Elis are looking to bounce back and finish strong in their final stretch of Ivy League play. 

Penn enters the matchup fresh off a 2-0 win over Dartmouth, bringing its conference record to 2–1–2 and overall mark to 7–3–4. 

First years Billy Altirs ’29 and Angelo Zhu ’29, as well as junior Joseph Farouz ’27, lead Yale in scoring with two goals each. Lee has started all 13 games in the net, recording 53 saves and a .697 save percentage. 

On the Quakers’ side, Patrick Cayelli and Romeo Dahlen, who have started in all 14 games for Penn, have been key to the team’s offense. They have eight and six total goals, respectively. The Quaker’s main goalkeeper, Phillip Falcon III, has denied 85.7 percent of shots and started in 9 of the team’s 12 matches. 

Historically, the Quakers have proven to be a tough matchup for Yale, holding a 9–2–5 all-time advantage. Last year’s encounter at Reese Stadium ended in a 0-1 defeat for the Bulldogs, and the Elis’ last victory over the Quakers was in 2012, when they won 2-1 at home. 

Still, the Bulldogs say they are ready for the challenge.

“They’re a good team and we respect all, fear none. When we go out there and do what works for us and we’re working hard as a team, then the results will come. That’s our mentality heading into this one,” Lee said. 

Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Saturday.