Elis break into rankings after Hoosier takedown

JULIA TIERNAN/YH 1998 Ivy League Player of the Year Jack Gould, CC '00, is in the running for All-American honors this season.

It was like Hoosiers—but in reverse.

On Sat., Sept. 11, Jac Gould, CC '00, stunned then No. 3-ranked Indiana, the defending national champion, by directing a cross from Jay Alberts, SY '03, past the Hoosiers' keeper with only a minute and a half remaining in the game. Since that weekend, when the Bulldogs also managed to topple No. 23 Georgetown and climbed to No. 10 in the national rankings, the entire student body has developed a new perspective on the team. The entire student body, that is, except the team itself.

While the two victories came as a shock to the rest of Yale's population, the Bulldogs believed from the outset that they had it in their power to defeat both Indiana and Georgetown.

With five of last year's top six scorers returning, including Gould and Phil Harris, SM '00, as well as a strong freshman class, the Elis entered the weekend ready to showcase their talent against two competitive teams. "It's not every day you get a chance to play the reigning national champs," defender James Pierce, BR '02, said. Captain Hiro Suzuki, BR '00, added, "We knew what to expect from ourselves, and once on the field we knew we could beat them."

Despite their remarkable performance last weekend, the Bulldogs have been careful not to get caught up in the hype. "It's always nice to get a win," Pearce said, "but the important thing is still the league. Winning the league is the only way to guarantee an NCAA berth." Coach Brian Tompkins said that in soccer no team is ever a lock to win. "Looking around at the upsets in college soccer around the country no one is invincible," he said. "We can just as easily lose to anyone in the country."

Tompkins seems pleased with the way his team rose to the challenge in both games. Even in the second game against Georgetown, most of which the Bulldogs played one man down, Tompkins said they found a way to win. "The ability to stick to the task at hand should stand us in good stead," he explained.

According to the team, the weekend was huge not because of the magnitude of the upsets, but because the team was able to get a better sense of its own strengths and weaknesses. While the team has always counted on its potent offense, it must now concentrate on good defense and ball control, both absent in the game against the Hoyas. The defense looked sluggish during the contest, so the Elis were forced to depend on last minute heroics to pull off a victory. Stuart Yingst, BK '03, tapped in a rebound with 52 seconds remaining to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 win. When asked why his team came out flat against Georgetown, Suzuki blamed fatigue. He added that the key to future wins is defense. "Excellent defense like we did against Indiana," he said.

The team will look to build on their victories next week against St. Bonaventure. "Friday we have a point to prove —that we can play better than we did against Georgetown," Tompkins said.

The team's drive has been a large part of its success. Tompkins pointed out the difference between the perception of this weekend's accomplishment and the reality. "We know where we're at and what our needs are," he explained, "and we understand that there is still work to be done." Pearce stated that he didn't think the team felt any added pressure as a result of the newfound attention. "This year we felt we have the talent," he said. "Most of the pressure comes from within."

The weekend that will go down as one of the most memorable in team history seemed like just another couple of days at the office for the Bulldogs. While the Elis enjoy their star status and fan support, the extra attention will not shake their focus. Their goals remain the same: to win the Ivy League and go to the NCAAs. So do the keys to success—defense, ball control and concentration. In the words of Suzuki, "We need to keep improving...keep playing...keep improving."

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