Veteran soccer squads on pace for Ivy titles

Men's soccer blazes to No. 8 ranking but falters against No. 17 Connecticut

By Jonathan Berkon

JULIA TIERNAN/YH Phil Harris, SM'00, has contributed to the Elis' 4-1 start with 3 goals and 2 assists.

The men's soccer team was on an unexpected, exhilarating rollercoaster ride through the season's first four games. But after the fifth game, the ride ground to a sudden stop.

On Wednesday, Head Coach Brian Tompkins took his No. 8-ranked soccer team to No. 17 Connecticut for a battle between the two top-ranked teams in New England. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, the magical finishes and consistent play that characterized their first four games were absent, and the Huskies thrashed the Elis, 5-0.

UConn (4-2) took an early lead, scoring two goals against Yale's usually stingy defense within the first 17 minutes. Leading 3-0 late in the first half, the Huskies quickly took advantage of a red card issued to defender Stuart Yingst, BK '03, and notched another score with less than three minutes remaining. Connecticut (4-2) tacked on their fifth and final goal with six minutes left. The Elis were outshot 21-5 in the game.

The squad appeared to have a letdown, but forward Jac Gould, CC '00, doesn't see it that way. "We just didn't play well," he said. "We played right into their hands and they took advantage of it." The loss ended Yale's ten-game winning streak dating back to last season, a mark just four shy of the school record of 14 consecutive wins set in the years 1934-36.

Yale has a chance to take out its anger on arch-rival Harvard (1-2-1) on Sat., Sept. 25. Though the No. 4 Cantabs finished two spots below the Elis last year, the natural rivalry always makes this game heated. "They'll be gunning for us," Gould said. "We have to re-focus and get ready."

Despite the lopsided loss to UConn, Yale's season so far has been an unqualified success. Two weeks ago at the Brown-Adidas Soccer Classic in Providence, the Elis shocked the soccer community with last-second wins over defending national champion Indiana, then No. 3, and Georgetown, then No. 20, to take the tournament. Gould's goal with 1:28 remaining defeated the Hoosiers, and one day later Yingst's put-back of forward Phil Harris, SM '00, shot knocked off the Hoyas in the tournament's final game. The quality of the opponent and excitement of the victory had a profound impact on the team. "It showed that we could be a national power and compete with the best teams," Gould said.

The Bulldogs' superb start continued last weekend as they knocked off St. Bonaventure 2-0 on Fri., Sept. 17, and completed the sweep by defeating St. Francis (NY) by the same score on Sun., Sept. 19.

Yale beat the Bonnies with a stifling defense that limited the opposition to only four harmless shots. Gould and midfielder Chung-Ming Ip, CC '00, provided the Elis with the only offense that they would need in the 27th minute when Gould headed in Ip's cross. In the 68th minute, Gould set up forward Kevin Hofstra, BK '03, who scored the first goal of his career.

On Sunday, Gould—the 1998 Ivy League Player of the Year—broke the school record for career points (77) when his pass sparked fellow All-Ivy first-teamer Harris' third goal of the year. Former points leader Kevin Maher, JE '83, also saw another record of his—most career goals (33)—disappear 29 minutes later as Gould headed in a cross from Harris to put the Bulldogs ahead by two. Gould was relieved after the record-breaking day. "I can now focus on the rest of the year," he said.

It was fitting that Harris would aid Gould on his perfect day. Yale's accomplishments over the past four years have centered on the two senior forwards. Last year, in guiding the Elis to a second-place finish and a 10-6-1 (5-2 Ivy) record, Gould and Harris placed first and second in the league in points with 20 and 18 points, respectively. This year, both Harris (3 goals, 2 assists) and Gould (3 goals, 3 assists) are looking to topple all of Yale's single-season records. Statistically, the tandem is the best one-two punch in the Ivies.

Despite its lackluster play against Connecticut, the backbone of the Eli squad thus far has been its surprisingly strong defense. Last year, Yale relinquished more goals than any Ivy team, costing the Elis the league crown. This year, Yale recruited defensive-minded players, a move that has led to a vast improvement in the play of the back line. In the first halves of its first four games, the Bulldogs scored only one goal, so the defense was forced to keep the team close until the offense got in gear. Lavin was so effective against Indiana and Georgetown that he was named defensive MVP of the tournament. Yingst, in addition to contributing strong defensive play, scored the decisive goal in the Georgetown game. For his efforts, he was named to the Adidas-Brown All-Tournament team along with Gould, Alberts, and Suzuki Hiro, BR '00.

Clearly, Tompkins' team has the talent to make an even greater impact on the national scene. Winning the Ivy League for the first time since 1991 would give the team an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. Then crazed Eli fans can start dreaming about bringing the ultimate prize back to New Haven.

Back to Sports...