No. 14 Yale jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the game's first 20 minutes and then held on for a 14-6 win over Harvard Saturday afternoon at Johnson Field. In addition to eight saves from senior goalkeeper Ellen Cameron, the Bulldog defense was led by senior Jess Champion, who had four draw controls, three caused turnovers and three ground balls. Junior attacker Linden Ellis and junior midfielder Jenn Warden scored four goals each, with Warden adding two assists. Yale has now won 13 of the last 14 games in its series vs. Harvard.

This was just the second time this season that the Crimson was held to fewer than 13 goals. Harvard (7-2, 0-1 Ivy League) entered the day ranked No. 11 in the country in scoring offense, averaging more than 14 goals per game, but the Yale defense was ranked No. 9, allowing just over seven goals per game. The Bulldogs took control of the matchup early on. Harvard did not even have a shot until nearly 12 minutes had passed, and at one point late in the first half the Bulldogs had an 11-1 advantage in shots.

By then three goals from Ellis, two from Warden and one from senior midfielder Lauren Taylor had given Yale (7-3, 2-1 Ivy) a 6-0 lead. This was the second game in a row Yale jumped out to a big early lead; the Bulldogs went up 7-0 on UConn in the first 15 minutes of Wednesday's 18-3 win.

Harvard attacker Sara Flood got her team on the board with 6:25 left in the half and the teams went into halftime with the score 6-1. Goals by Ellis, Taylor and senior attacker Meredith Callahan at the start of the second half gave Yale further control. Over the game's final 20 minutes each team scored five times -- including a goal by Yale senior midfielder Kat Peetz that extended her scoring streak to 10 games -- for the 14-6 final.

Ellis now has six goals and an assist in the last two games. Her four goals Saturday, the most she has scored in a game in her career, give her a career-high nine goals for the season.

Harvard goalie Kathryn Tylander finished with six saves. The Crimson's goals came from six different players.

Yale hosts Holy Cross Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.

2008-03-29