Yale Ivy Tournament 23-24Apr2022

We were delighted that Yale offered to host games in a spring tournament! We were unable to find a team to play April 9th, and Brandeis appears to have discontinued its April tournament that we attended for over a decade.

Harvard, without enough players was replaced by Sacred Heart; Cornell, Brown and Yale’s two club teams played.

G: Caris White
CD: Kalā Harman+Molly Knox, Rachel Horne

OD: Aislinn Mitcham+Katie Reisman, Kate Clark+Kelly Rutherford

CM: Sophia Greszczuk+Claire Meli+Lizzy Strapp, Krista Schemitsch+Abby Burgess

OM: Caitlin Evers+Zanna Stutz, Sara Pickrell+Nathalie Maffei

F: Julia Gottschalk

In our first game with Yale 2 at 2pm 23Apr2022, we each shared goals for the game, including passing well, being quick but not frantic, winning the game, regaining possession, playing well and having fun. Julia wasted no time in getting our first goal in the 5th minute! 

After Ash’s free kick, Kelly and Zanna had a shots go wide. Then Sara sent a magnificent shot from over 30m that sailed over their GK’er into the upper right corner! At some point during the game, Yale2 had only 10 players, so we graciously agreed to play down as well.

Yale 2 got a free kick in their third before Caitlin set up Lizzy’s lower-left slotted shot for our third goal. Yale had another free kick - this time in our third - just before Julia used her immense speed to breakaway in behind them, but her almost-perfect shot hit the upright. She had another shot go wide before the break.

We spoke during the break about keeping a high tempo and connecting more passes. Yale 2 got off a shot in the direction of our goal, but it was way out in front of our goal and gave Caris no trouble. Zanna and Nathalie had shots saved before. Zanna set up Sara for her composed and successful one-v-one with their keeper that gave Sara her 2nd goal in the 42nd minute.

After Caris saved Yale2’s free kick, Lizzy, Abby and Julia had shots saved - the last resulting in a corner taken by Ash, who a minute later had her shot saved for a corner taken by Zanna. Then Yale had a non-threatening corner kick.

Kate, who made numerous wonderful runs up-field, had her shot saved in the 61st minute. Then Krista set up Sara for another one-v-one that she handily converted to complete her hat-trick. Kelly followed that with a one-v-one of her own, showing her finesse and high quality for our 6th goal of the game!

Ais had a shot go wide before Abby and Ash had shots go over their cross-bar. We knew we should be proud of the result but thought we should focus on the possibility of Cornell being a more difficult team to play.

Shots 20:2  Saves 1:7

5 Julia! -> 1:0

8 Ash free kick

13 Dartmouth corner, Kelly shot wide

20 Zanna shot wide

21 Sara from over 30m! -> 2:0

23 Yale2 free kick in their third 

27 Caitlin set up Lizzy’s goal lower-left corner -> 3:0

29 Yale2 free kick in our third

30 Julia’s shot hot the left post

31 Julia shot wide

35 Yale2 shot short

37 Zanna shot saved 

38 Nathalie shot saved

41 Yale2 free kick

42 Zanna to Sara 1v1 -> 4:0

49 Yale2 free kick saved by Caris

50 Lizzy, Abby shots saved

53 Julia shot saved for a corner taken by Ash

54 Ash shot saved for a corner taken by Zanna

55 Yale2 corner

61 Kate shot saved

63 Krista to Sara for 1v1 -> 5:0

64 Kelly 1v1 -> 6:0

67 Ash shot wide

68 Abby shot over

70 Ash shot over

Cornell (4pm Saturday 23Apr2022) also had only 10 players but certainly didn’t act like they were down a player! They got off the first shot, which luckily for us went high. Then they had a free kick from 30m that also went over. Cornell proved to be scrappy and aggressive, but we were up to the task without being abusive.

Kelly had a shot go wide before Sara’s free kick went wide. Then Claire, Ash and Abby had shots saved. We were pleased to be able to match Cornell’s high tempo and to win many 50-50 situations.

Abby got off the first shot of the 2nd half (saved), then in the 52nd minute made a beautiful cross to Kelly, who pounded the ball from something like 20m into their net for the game’s only goal.

Just after that, the Cornell defender who had been hounding Kelly got a yellow card - seldom seen in club games. 

Sara had a shot go wide, Cornell had a free kick and a shot wide before Ash successfully defended a Cornell attack that won them a corner kick. Caris saved a shot from them a minute later. 

Zanna won a corner kick taken by Kelly, and perhaps it was Kalā who got her head on it for a near-goal. Abby and Zanna earned us free kicks and Abby had a shot go wide at the end of the game. 

Throughout the game it was notable that Kalā, Molly, Kate, Ash, Rachel, Krista and Kelly defended with great authority, while Sara, Kate, Ash and Kelly made numerous runs up the outside channels. Zanna, Caitlin, Abby, Sophia, Claire and Nathalie created many give-and-go runs and crosses, with Julia using her speed to get in behind their defense. It was great fun to see so much good playing, movement and skill!

Shots 9:5  Saves 1:4

11 Cornell shot over

12 Cornell free kick from 30m, shot over

14 Kelly shot wide

17 Sara free kick wide

23 Claire shot saved

27 Ash shot saved

32 Abby shot saved

42 Abby shot saved 

52 Abby cross to Kelly -> 1:0

54 Cornell yellow card!

60 Sara shot wide

66 Cornell free kick

67 Cornell shot wide

68 Ash defended for a Cornell corner

69 Caris saved a Cornell shot

74 Zanna earned a corner taken by Kelly, header went over

77 Abby earned a free kick

78 Zanna earned a free kick taken by Kelly

80 Abby shot wide 

When Yale 1 arrived for our 9:45am semi-final on Sunday 24Apr2022, they said they only had 8 players due to illness/covid, so Kelly Rutherford offered to play GK for them - a gracious and selfless solution! She played for them until more of their team arrived for the 2nd half.

Sunny but extremely windy/chilly, we were delighted to see Sophia’s parents and Abby’s mom and sister and Claire’s mom - all from Massachusetts.

Kelly helped her adopted side by saving Caitlin’s shot for a corner in the 9th minute just before Lizzy’s shot was blocked. Caris saved a shot from Yale 1 seven minutes later, and Nathalie had a shot go wide after that. 

Kalā took a free kick from half-field and Abby had a shot saved (by Kelly) before half-time. During the break we decided to proceed with Kelly back in our team and to go for the win.

Caris saved a shot from Yale 1 in the first minute, and they had a shot go wide of our goal a couple minutes later. Abby and Ash had shots go wide before Yale 1 got a free kick in our third.

Kate sent a glorious diagonal cross from the left side of the field to Caitlin, who put the ball immediately into the Yale 1 net in the 62nd minute. Julia had a shot go wide before Yale’s header from a free kick sailed wide of Caris’ goal.

We waited for the penalty shoot-out between Brown and Cornell to see which team we would play in the final.

Shots 8:4  Saves 2:2

9 Caitlin shot saved, Lizzy shot blocked

16 Yale 1 shot saved by Caris

19 Nathalie shot wide

22 Kalā free kick from the half

23 Abby shot saved

41 Yale 1 shot saved by Caris

43 Yale 1 shot wide

53 Abby shot wide

54 Ash shot wide

59 Yale 1 free kick in our third

62 Kate diagonal cross to Caitlin -> 1:0

69 Julia shot wide

72 Yale 1 free kick in our third, header went wide

Brown converted more PK’s than Cornell, and we had been impressed seeing them play near us yesterday, so we were excited to face such a strong team at 12:15pm. Katie Reisman was back from her other weekend commitment, so we were at full strength! Her parents and Rachel’s were there, too! Julia found high-school classmates there playing for Brown and Yale, presenting a nice photo-opportunity.

Brown got off the first shot and followed that with a free kick five minutes later. Both teams were playing high-pressure, fast-paced soccer; neither had much possession. 

Nathalie made a perfect pass to set up Julia for a 1v1 with their GK - Julia succeeded by slotting her shot calmly and precisely into their net. Our team erupted with joy! 

Brown bounced back with a shot Caris saved and one that went high. A few minutes later Caris came forward quickly to quash another attempt, and a following shot of theirs went wide just before half-time.

We spoke about keeping up the pressure and connecting more passes to keep the ball from them. They had a shot go wide, took a free kick in our third, and had a shot saved by Caris ten minutes later.

Nathalie and Kelly took corner kicks before Sara worked her long-range magic again for an arching shot that chipped their keeper, giving us an 2nd (insurance) goal. 

Brown kept firing, with a wayward shot over/wide, a corner kick and two free kicks Caris saved. Abby’s free kick just before time was saved, and a minute later our celebration ensued - complete with 1st place Ivy Tournament championship medals!

Shots 3:10 Saves 5:1

3 Brown shot wide

8 Brown free kick from the half

16 drop-ball for Dartmouth 

27 Nathalie set up Julia for 1v1 -> 1:0

28 Brown shot saved by Caris

29 Brown shot over

36 Brown shot blocked by Caris

40 Brown shot wide

41 Brown shot wide

43 Brown free kick in our third

53 Brown free kick saved by Caris

56 Nathalie corner, Kelly corner

62 Brown shot over/wide

64 Brown corner

66 Brown free kick saved by Caris

70 Brown free kick saved by Caris

79 Abby free kick saved