March 8, 2006
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - A career-high seven goals from Lauren Taylor helped Yale to a 15-8 win over New Hampshire Wednesday afternoon at Johnson Field. Kat Peetz chipped in four goals, Lara Melniker had two, Jenn Warden had one and Sara Greenberg added the first of her career.
The last Yale player to score seven goals in a game was All-American Miles Whitman, who did so against Cal on Apr. 17, 2004. Taylor's previous career high was six goals, accomplished against Brown last season. She nearly had that many in the first half alone Wednesday. A caused turnover by Warden at midfield led to the first goal, as Taylor Fragapane fed Taylor for a 1-0 lead two minutes in. A minute after that, Taylor drew the attention of the defense before passing to a wide-open Peetz for a 2-0 lead.
"Lauren did a great job," said Amanda O'Leary, Yale's Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse. "New Hampshire put a face guard on her. She played hard and was very effective, which was great to see."
The Wildcats (0-3) rallied behind a free-position goal by Alexa Webster and a goal by Michaela Hardy to knot the score at two. But Warden controlled the draw after the second goal and the Bulldogs eventually worked the ball back to her for her fourth goal of the season.
Warden played a key role in Yale's 17-8 edge on draw controls for the game, picking up four.
"Jenn did a great job at center, and we just went really hard after the ball," O'Leary said. "Taylor Fragapane had a couple, and Katie Wiacek chased down a couple as well. We were very consistent in controlling the ball."
Taylor added another goal with 18:36 left in the first. After she received a yellow card and was forced to the sideline, the Wildcats took advantage of a failed clear by Yale (2-1) to pull back within one on a Sarah Von Bargen goal.
Peetz' free-position shot at 11:37 got the Bulldog lead back to two, but UNH responded with goals by Beth Sabiston and Van Bargen to tie the score at five with 6:36 left before halftime.
Taylor then re-established control of the game for the Bulldogs with three straight goals. She maneuvered her way past two defenders to stuff in one from point-blank range. For the next one she passed to Fragapane, then got the ball right back and fired it in from well beyond the 8-meter arc.
The Bulldogs then played for the final shot of the half and worked their offense to perfection. Behind the goal, Peetz rifled a perfect pass to Taylor, who notched her fifth goal of the half with only 11 seconds remaining. The assist was part of a five-point day for Peetz.
"Kat played very, very well," O'Leary said. "She went to the goal hard and created some offensive double-teams."
Melniker's free-position goal two minutes into the second half extended Yale's lead to 9-5, but UNH responded with goals by Von Bargen and Sabiston to pull within two with 25:38 remaining in the game.
Taylor once again helped the Bulldogs regain momentum. Her goal off a feed from Warden with 22:11 left started a five-goal spurt by Yale that included two more from Peetz, one from Melniker (assisted by Caroline Edsall) and one more for Taylor.
That forced a UNH timeout with 7:34 remaining, when both teams changed goalies. The Wildcats sent Maghan Grahn in for Ashley Milley (six saves, 14 goals allowed), while Yale sent Lonnie Sarnell in for Ellen Cameron (two saves, seven goals allowed).
The Bulldogs also worked in Ashley Dent and Lisa McKenna for their first appearances of the year, and three freshmen (Caitlin Bray, Maggie Goodlander and Lawrie Peck) made their collegiate debuts.
After allowing a goal to UNH's Katie Leland that made the score 14-8, Sarnell finished with two saves.
"It was great to see Lonnie in there, and she did a super job," O'Leary said. "It's always difficult as a goalie, coming in cold, but she made some key saves."
Greenberg completed the scoring with 1:16 to play.
The win represented a quick turnaround for Yale after a tough 10-9 loss to James Madison on Saturday.
"We're getting better and better," O'Leary said. "The JMU game was a learning experience - you can only put the ball in net by going to goal. We took that challenge today."
The Bulldogs depart on Friday for Tennessee, where they will play Vanderbilt on Saturday before heading to West Palm Beach, Fla., for a game against Colgate on Mar. 14.
Yale returns to Johnson Field for the start of Ivy League play against Penn Mar. 18.
report by Sam Rubin '95 (sam.rubin@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity
