Oct. 26, 2007
NEW YORK, N.Y. - With its back to the wall, the Yale women's soccer team responded in impressive fashion. Maggie Westfal and Becky Brown both scored as the Bulldogs notched an important 2-1 Ivy League victory over defending champion Columbia on a rainy night at the Baker Field Complex.
The win improves Yale to 3-2 in league play. A loss would have all but ended the Bulldogs' title hopes.
Westfal scored her team-leading seventh goal of the season at 27:20 to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. She took a feed from Emma Whitfield and beat one defender on a counterattack.
Yale (8-6) added an insurance goal early in the second half when Brown banged in the rebound of a Leslie Perez shot. It was Brown's fourth goal of the season.
Lindsey Knowles spoiled the Bulldogs' bid for a shutout when she scored with less than 10 minutes remaining.
Yale outshot Columbia 14-11. Susan Starr made four saves in goal to earn the victory for the Bulldogs. Allison Vespa stopped five shots for the Lions (6-5-4, 1-3-1 Ivy).
The win was Yale's first over Columbia since 2004.
The Bulldogs have little time to savor the victory. They host New Hampshire on Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m. at Reese Stadium.
Report filed by Tim Bennett, Yale Sports Publicity