Women's soccer determined to rebound

After a 4-0 start, the women's soccer team faced adversity for the first time last week. Now they know what they must do to become Ivy League Champions. "We're ready to get into our Ivy League schedule," captain Annie Kwon, CC '99, said.

JULIA TIERNAN/YH Annie Kwon, CC '99, passes the ball during the Bulldogs' recent match against Harvard. Yale has compiled a 5-2 record thus far this season.

The team faced No. 18 Hartford at home on Wed., Sept. 23. After a physical game at the Yale Soccer-Lacrosse Stadium, the Elis emerged with a 1-0 loss. Despite the outcome, however, the team was happy with its performance. "We played really well, especially in the first half. Last year they beat us 4-1, so this time we played a lot better," Kwon said. Sarah Peterson, PC '02, added, "We had a good game against Hartford. They scored on a kind of unlucky play." Megan MacLeod, MC '01, played her best game as a Bulldog, controlling the midfield and going for every ball.

The loss set up a showdown with rival and defending Ivy League champion Harvard. The Crimson got on the board early after co-captain Emily Stauffer '99 hit Gina Foster '00 with a cross two minutes into the game. Harvard added another tally in the second half to take a 2-0 lead. Theryn Gibbons, MC '00, finally beat Harvard keeper Jen Burney, '99, with 14 seconds left, but the Bulldogs left Cambridge with a 2-1 loss. "We just came out with no intensity. We were disappointed in ourselves after the game," Sara Ruiz, SY '02, said. Kwon added, "We are very disappointed because we were not mentally prepared. Harvard was more physical than last year and they played hard. But we learned a lot from this game."

The Harvard loss dropped Yale to 4-2 and left some players searching for answers. They looked to their leader, Kwon. "I told them that we need to start with pride. We have to stress the team at all times and be proud of the way that we play," she said. "We know that it is still early in the season and that we have to get through these ups and downs." Coach Rudy Meredith and his assistants told the team not to panic. "Rudy did not make any formation or personnel changes; he just told us that we should stick to our game plan," Kwon said.

After the two hard-fought losses, the Elis recovered well against Rhode Island. Kwon and Megan Strenski, MC '02, scored off assists from Ruiz and Heather Jones, TC '01, to lead Yale to a 2-0 non-conference win. "We played well. It was nice to get another win," Ruiz said. The win moved Yale to 5-2 (1-1 Ivy).

On Sat., Oct. 3, the Bulldogs take on Princeton at home. The Tigers defeated Yale last year, and neither team has forgotten the game. "The upperclassmen want to avenge last year's loss," Kwon said. Princeton plays a different style of game than other Ivy League teams. "They are very strong," Ruiz said. Kwon added, "Princeton is really good in the air. We have to play a good passing game to beat them." Princeton also has a 1-1 league record, so Yale will move ahead with a victory.

One bright spot for the Elis has been the stellar play of the highly touted freshman class. Ruiz played one of her best games against Rhode Island, and defender Peterson teamed with Elisabeth Laderoute, CC '00, to knock away all but one of the shots against Hartford. "Our class has stepped up and made our presence felt in the last few games," said Peterson.

The Ivy League favorites are now Harvard and 15th-ranked Dartmouth, who looked impressive in its Ivy League opener, a 4-0 win against previously undefeated Princeton. "Columbia and Dartmouth are looking really good this year," said Kwon. The team believes that it can finish the season well to come back and defeat Harvard in the Ivy League playoffs. "It's still the beginning of the season," Kwon said. "We have a long way to go and a lot of games to win." Ruiz added, "We had some tough breaks, but we'll bounce back."

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