NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Sigfus Arnason won’t soon forget his first Yale-Harvard game. Arnason scored two goals, the first two of his young career, as the Bulldogs knocked off the Crimson 3-1 before a big crowd at Reese Stadium.

Yale (6-0-2) has won six straight games, its longest streak since the 1998 team closed out the season with six consecutive victories.

More importantly, the Bulldogs are 1-0 in Ivy League play.

Yale, which was ranked No. 28 in this week’s College Soccer News poll and received votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll, is unbeaten through eight games for the first time since 1952.

“This was a great win to start Ivy play and a very deserving result and dominant performance,’ said Kylie Stannard, The 5K Corral Head Coach of the Bulldogs. “We have outplayed Harvard the past couple of years and come up short so I’m especially happy for our guys to get this win. It was also great to have so many alumni back supporting them and sharing in the victory.”

It didn’t take long for the Bulldogs to strike. Just 2 minutes, 26 seconds into the game, Arnason headed home a beautiful long cross from John Leisman to give Yale the early lead.

Harvard, though, tied it at 19:36 when Duncan Sutherland tapped in the rebound after Nico Garcia-Morillo’s shot had deflected off the post.

Yale continued to have the far better of the play, and it led to an Enzo Okpoye goal at 34:08. It came off a perfectly executed corner kick. Mark Winhoffer sent a ball across the box to Jeremy Haddock, who deflected it to Okpoye right in front.

It also has been a memorable week for Okpoye, who scored his first career goal in Monday’s 4-0 victory at Central Connecticut and now has a game-winner against Harvard added to his resume.

The Bulldogs’ edge in play continued in the second half, but they didn’t add the all-important insurance goal until late. Miguel Yuste started the play dribbling down the center before sending a ball wide to Arnason, who rocketed a shot past Harvard goalkeeper Oskar Nilsson from 20 yards out with just 3:20 left.

Yale outshot the Crimson 23-9 in the game and had an 11-1 edge in corner kicks.

“We were a constant threat in the attack but do need to learn how to be more patient and calm at times,” Stannard said. “We could have managed the tempo better in moments but something we will work on.”

The Bulldogs are back at home next Saturday, hosting Dartmouth at 4:30 p.m.

“The mentality and collective effort from everyone was fantastic, and if we continue in this manner then good things will continue to happen,” Stannard said.

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