NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale offense is starting to click. The Bulldogs scored a pair of very pretty goals and held a high-powered Sacred Heart offense in check en route to an impressive 2-0 victory over the Pioneers on a gorgeous afternoon at Reese Stadium.

Jenner Fox and Peter Jacobson scored for Yale, which won its second straight game after not scoring in its first four games. The Bulldogs knocked off Quinnipiac 1-0 on Friday.

“It’s important that good play be rewarded,” said Yale head coach Brian Tompkins. “It was our second game on the weekend, and I’m really pleased with how we played. We were good with and without the ball.”

The Bulldogs (2-3-1) seemed to get better as the game wore on.

Sacred Heart (3-2) had the first good scoring chance. Yale defender Nick Alers made a careless pass that was intercepted by Justin Brewer, who broke in alone. He dribbled around Yale goalkeeper Bobby Thalman and appeared to have an open net. Alers, though, made a terrific recovery and raced back to clear Brewer’s shot away just before it got to the goal line.

Midway through the first half, the Bulldogs got on the board. Jacobson corralled a long forward pass, took a few dribbles and sent a cross to Fox, who ripped a shot into the top corner from just outside the box.

“I thought it was really important that we got the first goal,” Tompkins said.

A terrific play from Thalman kept Yale in the lead at the intermission. In the final seconds, Sacred Heart sent a ball into the box. A Yale defender inadvertently headed it off the post. The rebound came to Joshua Mathews, who got off a quick shot, but Thalman, who was on his knees, dove to his left to deflect it away.

The Bulldogs got the all-important insurance goal early in the second half. Freshman Philip Piper made a nifty pass to Scott Armbrust, who crossed it to Jacobson. Jacobson then fired a shot that deflected off a Sacred Heart defender and inside the near post at 58:37.

Yale’s defense did the rest, limiting the Pioneers chances the remainder of the way.

“In the second half, we managed their offense really well,” Tompkins said. “Our tactical discipline was really good.”

Sacred Heart (3-2) finished with a 15-11 edge in shots. Both teams had eight shots in the second half.

The Bulldogs are back in action next Friday, hosting Fordham at 7 p.m. at Reese Stadium.

---

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

Favorite Picks of the 2025 MLS Draft

Commitments: Bradley Heads to the Big East

TeamRank Presented By TeamSnap - Girls