Bulldogs Rally For 2-1 Victory Over Penn

by Tim Bennett

October 20, 2012

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale men’s soccer team faced adversity a couple of times in Saturday’s game with Penn. The Bulldogs’ response each time was outstanding. The result was an impressive 2-1 victory over the Quakers in front of a big crowd at Reese Stadium.

First, Yale fell behind 1-0 when Penn scored on a penalty kick at 65:52.

The Bulldogs’ answered with a goal less than four minutes later.

Then later in the half, Yale’s Philip Piper received his second yellow card of the game, forcing the Bulldogs to play a man down.

Their response? Peter Jacobson scored with 2:12 remaining in regulation to snap the 1-1 tie.

“I thought we showed a tremendous amount of character to find a way to win,” said Yale head coach Brian Tompkins. “I was so pleased with the nature of our team’s response. After they scored, we got it back within four minutes, and I thought our response to going a man down was really strong.”

Both Yale goals were pretty and were a welcome sight for a team that had been shutout in each of its last five games.

Scott Armbrust tallied the first goal when he settled a pass from Jenner Fox and fired a shot from the top of the box inside the near post.

Fox also had a key role in the game-winner. Max McKiernan sent a long ball forward, setting up a two-on-one. Fox took his time, drew the goalkeeper’s attention and then sent a perfect cross to Jacobson, who fired it into the vacated net, setting off a wild celebration on the Yale bench.

“We had two very nice goals,” Tompkins said. “Scotty made a great turn and finish, and I thought Jenner showed a lot of composure in making the pass to Peter.”

The win snapped Yale’s three-game losing streak.

Neither team generated much offense in the first half, as the two team combined for just five shots.

“It took us a lot of time to settle down,” Tompkins said. “I think we were pressing a bit.”

The second half was much more wide open. The Quakers (2-11, 0-4 Ivy) snapped the scoreless tie when Stephen Baker scored on the penalty kick. Yale goalkeeper Bobby Thalman guessed right on the kick and got a piece of it, but it still trickled in. Penn was awarded the kick after a player was taken down in the box.

The Quakers outshot Yale 11-10, but the Bulldogs (4-7-3, 1-2-1 Ivy) had a 5-4 edge in corner kicks.

Thalman finished with six saves in the game, including five in the second half.

Yale is back home next Saturday, hosting Columbia at 4:30 p.m.