Welcoming home a champion with victory

The Bulldogs struggled to a seventhplace Ivy finish last season and at one point dropped 13 straight games. Yet Coach Ainslee Lamb claimed that there is value in examining the past. "In a lot of ways you can actually learn more about your program when you lose. When you win, you just say, `All right, we won, let's move on.' When you lose, you really sit back and ask, `What didn't we do, what can we do better?' Fortunately, the team learned from every single game last year."

Johnson Field proved its benefits in the first game of the season, when Yale visited Vermont's turf field and defeated the host team 1-0. The Bulldogs also held tough against a talented University of New Hampshire team before falling 2-1 in overtime. In both contests, the Elis combined timely goals with stellar defense. Captain Caroline Thompson, CC '02, and fellow forward Anthony scored goals against Vermont and New Hampshire, and goalie Krissy Nesburg, SM '04, saved 17 of the 19 shots attempted by her opponents. Indeed, Nesburg, who over the summer was named an alternate on the under-21 National team, is the anchor of the Bulldog defense.

"Last year Krissy just made great saves, but this year she's making great saves and running the defense," Lamb said.

While several young players fill important roles, the team is grounded in experience; at least one senior fills a position on every line. Erin Tennyson, CC '02, and Kara Nesburg, PC '02, both return on defense and should protect their all-star goalie. Tovia Martirosian, CC '02, who rejoined the team after a year off, has returned to the field with renewed energy, contributing two goals in an impressive 4-3 overtime win against Fairfield. Thompson, aside from being a much-needed scoring threat, is also a leader who has set high expectations for both herself and for the team.

The most visible difference between this season and last year's 3-14 campaign is an increase in mental and physical toughness. The new turf field has provided the players with a mental edge, as the surface allows practice to very closely imitate game-like situations. Equally critical is the aggressiveness that players display in practice.

"What I really enjoy about this group is that they're very competitive with each other; they compete in practice situations and for positions on the field," Coach Lamb said.

The team has capitalized on an ability to score at opportune times, especially on penalty corners. In addition, Yale possesses more scoring threats than it did in 2000. Last year's team relied almost exclusively on second team All-Ivy member Anne Rippetoe, MC '01. This year, the Elis hope to better distribute scoring. Playing alongside Thompson is Anthony, who was second on the team last year in goals (6) and points (13).

Recent games have witnessed an offensive explosion, integrating young-er players into the Bulldog attack. Sarah Driscoll, TC `05, scored goals against Fairfield and Cornell; Stephanie Dolmat-Connell, BK `04, displayed brilliance against Fairfield with her first goal. Yale's first four contests were all decided in the closing minutes of the game. Last week, the team eked out a 4-3 overtime win against Fairfield but fell 4-1 to Cornell in its Ivy opener.

Cornell was an especially difficuplt loss, as the Bulldogs had a 2-0 lead early in the second half but ultimately allowed the Big Red back into the game. "We gave up far too many penalty corners," Kara Nesburg said. "Our defense broke down on several levels."

On Wed., Sept. 26, Yale suffered its second consecutive loss, to in-state rival Holy Cross, 3-1. With big games against Harvard and Rhode Island this weekend, the Elis hope to rebound by again doing what they did everyday earlier in the season: pushing each other in practice to prepare for game action.

And even when the competitive spirit is there, Lamb and the players certainly recognize that they must learn to maintain a lead.

Though both of the Bulldogs' wins have come by one goal, they lost many opportunities against Cornell and New Hampshire. The ability to play under pressure comes only through experience, and these early season lessons should benefit the team down the road.

Photo by Mac Kaplan

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