Sports Shorts

Women's Soccer: Decisive victory over Fairfield gets Elis psyched for Cornell

On the verge of a losing record, the women's soccer team came to the realization that the closure of their season required increased intensity and renewed spirit. But most of all, the Bulldogs need to win their remaining two games. "Although we have had a few unfortunate results lately, we are hoping to finish the season with two strong wins," goalie Sarah Peterson, PC '02, said.

JULIA TIERNAN/YH Theryn Gibbons, MC '00, and the Elis ended a losing streak by defeating Fairfield, 2-1.

A 2-1 victory over Fairfield, previously ranked eighth in the Northeast region, on Wed., Nov. 3 snapped a three-game losing streak for the Bulldogs, who had recently fallen to Hartford, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. The score was tied 1-1 at the half after Heat-her Jones, TC '01, scored off a pass from Lauren Gillies, BR '03. At halftime, Coach Rudy Mere-dith made the decision to give Linsday Sabel, PC '03, the opportunity to relieve Peterson and to prove her abilities in net. Sabel earned her first win at Yale, making four saves to ensure the Bulldog victory, which was clinched with just 25 seconds remaining on a goal by Chandra King, TD '03. The victory in regulation was crucial, because the Elis have yet to win an overtime game this season. "We were happy to have won the last home game for the seniors," Kate Ling, TD '03, said. "And it was great to win again after all of our losses last week."

The Bulldogs now hope to carry this momentum forward into their Sat. Nov. 6 game against Cornell, currently ranked sixth in the Ivy League with an 8-6-1 overall record. The Bulldogs, now 7-7-2 overall, 2-2-2 in the league, would most likely earn a spot in the ECAC tournament with a victory over Cornell, although their NCAA playoff hopes have become unrealistic for several weeks. In addition to securing a spot in postseason competition, a victory at Cornell would boost morale and prevent the Elis from having a losing record for the season, a feat which has not occurred since 1995.

—Darcy Wiecks

Men's Cross Country: Anticipating Districts

One weak race is not enough to break the stride of the men's cross country team. The Bulldogs' eighth place finish at Heptagonals on Fri., Oct. 29, does not paint an accurate picture of its potential. Although they were near the bottom of the nine-team field, the Elis defeated arch-rival Harvard and missed seventh place by fewer than 10 points.

A number of Bulldog runners have finished strongly in the past few races, but the team seems to be missing a vital spark. "We've had some good races, but nothing that indicates what we could do at Districts," Jack Lovejoy, PC '01, said. The District Meet, where teams qualify for nationals, will take place on Sat., Nov. 13. Last year, the Elis placed ninth out of 30 teams—this year, they feel they have the capacity to exceed last season's results.

Districts will take place at Franklin Park in Boston, where the Bulldogs will test their endurance against such formidable competition as Brown, Columbia, Providence, and Cornell. Franklin Park is a fast, familiar course for Yale, although, at 10 kilometers, it is significantly longer than the typical eight-kilometer run that the men are used to. Joe Racine, TD '00, believes that Elis need a clear-cut strategy for Districts. "We need to push each other through the first 5K, at least," he said. The Bulldogs hope to finish in the top five, and several individuals also are expected to come in at the head of the pack. Rob Doyle, DC '01, who placed seventh in the league and earned first team All-Ivy honors, has an excellent chance of advancing to Nationals.

—Reilly Dibner

Women's Cross Country: Without captain, Elis will rely on frosh at NCAA Qualifiers

After losing a corps of talented seniors, including national qualifier Ariana Kelly, MC '99, the women's cross country team did not know what to expect this season. An infusion of talented freshmen has begun to fill Kelly's niche, however, propelling the Bulldogs to a strong season. Their relatively poor showing at the Heptagonal meet does not reflect the breadth of the harriers' recent achievements.

The runners' crowning achievement came at the H-Y-P meet, where they defeated both Harvard and Princeton in their first home meet in three years. Although the Bulldogs didn't fare as well at New Englands, two runners set personal records—Lindsay Mitchell, CC '03, and Katherine LaFrance, TC '00, broke the 19-minute mark on a 3.1-mile run, an especially difficult accomplishment on Boston's challenging Franklin Park course.

The Bulldogs' achievements are somewhat surprising, considering that the team's demographics have changed so dramatically since last season. In addition to losing Kelly, the Elis are also without Captain Molly Imber, SY '00, who is currently suffering from chronic shin splints, and four out of seven varsity runners are freshmen. "When you have that kind of a team, any success is a bonus because you can never know what to expect from freshmen," Imber said. Luckily, the team's composition has not affected its dynamics. "The feel of the team has been the best thing this year. It makes the work more fun when you enjoy the people you are with," Imber added.

The Elis hope to recover from a disappointing seventh-place finish in the Heptagonals when they return to Franklin Park for the NCAA Qualifiers on Sat., Nov. 13. Imber is realistic about her team's prospects. "Nationals are probably a goal for next year," she said. The return of this year's phenomenal freshman class makes the realization of that ambition very possible.

—Yael Zeira

Around the Ivies

Red sizzles: Cornell football

Yale (6-1, 3-1 Ivy) is currently tied with Cornell for first place in the league. The Big Red (5-2, 3-1 Ivy) has racked up wins over Princeton, Brown, and Harvard, although it recently fell to Dartmouth, 20-17. Cornell dominated the Big Green on offense, however, compiling a total of 311 offensive yards while holding Darmouth to 202 yards. The Big Red rebounded from the loss with a victory over Wagner last week, during which quarterback Ricky Rahne '02 passed for 206 yards and three touchdowns.

Red fizzles: Cornell Field Hockey

After falling to all but one team in the Ivy League so far this season, Yale field hockey (4-11) stands at least some chance of defeating Cornell on Sun., Nov. 7. Last week, the Big Red was routed, 7-0, by Brown, before losing to Bucknell, 2-0. On Wed., Nov. 3, the Big Red snapped a five game losing streak by blanking an anemic Lehigh squad, 4-0, on the strength of two goals by Kelley Boutin '00.

—Compiled by Kate Moran

Eli Almanac

Sat., Nov. 5, 1950

Forty-nine years ago this week, Yale football fell to Brown, 14-0, the first shutout inflicted against the Elis in nine games. The Bulldogs dominated the first quarter, but the Bears surged ahead in the second when quarterback Walt Pasturszak faked a pass and flipped the ball behind his back to Leon Beaulieu, who cruised up the middle for a touchdown.

The Whiffenpoofs performed during halftime, renewing a tradition that abruptly ended in 1932 when a 21-inch sea bass, a prop in the Whiffs' halftime show, landed in the lap of Yale President James Angell.

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