Piper Scores Tying Goal With 41 Seconds Left In Second Half

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Senior Philip Piper has been involved in a number of big moments at Reese Stadium during his career. He saved one of his most memorable for last. Piper, a four-year starter playing his final home game, scored the tying goal with 41 seconds left in the second half as Yale earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Brown before a big Senior Night crowd at Reese.

Piper, who left the game midway through the first half with a hip injury, stayed ready by riding a bike on the sideline. Normally a defender, he was inserted up front when he returned with five minutes left, and the move paid off.

On the dramatic goal, Avery Schwartz sent a long cross into the box, Piper got his head on it and got it past Brown goalkeeper Teo Norhagen, setting off a celebration on the Yale sideline.

Yale had a number of great chances to win it in overtime. Schwartz had the best midway through the first extra period, but Norhagen made a terrific kick save to keep the game going.

The Bulldogs outshot Brown 5-2 in the two 10-minute overtime periods.

"Another valiant comeback and effort from the team tonight," said Kylie Stannard, the 5K Corral Head Coach of the Bulldogs. "I'm extremely proud of their never say die attitude, and we were unfortunate not to win the game on a few occasions in overtime."

The Bears, who had won three of their last four games entering the night and have hopes of earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, struck first at 5:41. Tim Whalen emerged from a scramble in front of the goal to get just enough of a cross and deflect it in.

Yale's defense, though, held Brown at bay the remainder of the way, setting up the fantastic finish.

Goalkeeper Ryan Simpson made three saves for the Bulldogs and was very active intercepting crosses.

"Brown is a good team that was still playing for a chance to win the Ivy as well as an NCAA at-large bid," Stannard said. "They compete very hard and are very difficult to play against. We didn't compete at their level for most of the first half but I thought we really turned it around at half and were the better team."

Yale's six seniors – Piper, Schwartz, Keith Bond, Lukas Czinger, Tyler Detorie, and Pablo Espinola – were honored prior to kickoff.

"We wanted to get the win for our seniors but these guys battled and earned a conference point against a good Brown team," Stannard said. "I'm happy for the seniors and especially our captain, Phil Piper, to get the equalizing goal. He could barely walk but willed himself and took the team on his back this game."

The Bulldogs close out the season at Princeton next Saturday at 4 p.m.

Report filed by Tim Bennett (timothy.bennett@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity