Yale Shuts Out Harvard 3-0

October 1, 2017

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Yale spent much of its time at practice this week working on execution in the final third. The results were quite impressive. Three different Bulldogs scored as Yale rolled to an important 3-0 victory over Harvard before a big crowd at Reese Stadium.

“We’ve done a good job keeping possession but not at creating [chances],” said Yale head coach Rudy Meredith.

That changed against the Crimson. The Bulldogs (7-3-1, 1-1 Ivy) put on a clinic in the first half. Yale had an 8-5 edge in shots and had the only four corner kicks.

Most importantly, the Bulldogs had a 1-0 lead. The goal came at 25:46 when Michelle Alozie took a terrific long pass from Carlin Hudson and scored on breakaway.

Yale kept control early in the second half but couldn’t get the all-important second goal. Then there was about a 10-minute stretch where Harvard applied heavy pressure. Fortunately for the Bulldogs, goalkeeper Alyssa Fagel was up to the challenge. She finished with nine saves, six of which came in the second half.

“She made some big saves. That’s what you need in a game like that,” Meredith said.

Yale was finally able to exhale when Noelle Higginson finished a perfect Aerial Chavarin cross from in front at 81:27.

The Bulldogs then added a third goal for good measure with less than five minutes left. Fran Steele sent a free kick into the box. Keri Cavallo fired a shot that hit the post. The rebound, though, came right to Christine Oberhausen, who banged it in at 85:22.

It was Oberhausen’s first career goal.

Yale recovered very well from last week’s loss to No. 14 Princeton in the Ivy opener.

“I knew we were good enough,” Meredith said. “We knew we were ready. [The players] wanted it. They came out with a lot of heart.”

It was the Bulldogs’ first win over Harvard since 2007.

Yale is back at Reese Stadium next Saturday, hosting Dartmouth at 4 p.m.