NEW HAVEN, Conn. – On Friday night at Lee Amphitheater, the Yale women's basketball team was less than seven minutes away from extending its winning streak to six games and becoming the first Ivy League team to reach the six-win mark in league play this season. But Princeton – owners of a 31 game conference winning streak coming into the night – had one last rally on a night that was full of momentum swings. The Tigers outscored the Bulldogs 25-9 in the game's final seven minutes to pull out a 61-49 victory.
Yale (12-7, 5-2 Ivy League) trailed for much of the first half but utilized a 10-2 run at the end of the second quarter to take a 27-24 lead into halftime. The third quarter was a back-and-forth affair that included four ties, the last one coming on a late three-pointer by sophomore guard
Jenna Clark that sent the teams into the fourth quarter knotted at 36.
After another three-pointer by Clark and a free throw by senior guard/forward
Robin Gallagher, the Bulldogs had a 40-36 lead in the fourth. Princeton (14-4, 6-0 Ivy League) began its rally with a layup by guard Julia Cunningham with 6:37 to play; the Tigers then took the lead for good on a three-pointer by guard Abby Meyers 36 seconds later. Those two would combine for 41 points – 22 from Meyers and 19 from Cunningham.
"We didn't do a good job against Meyers and Cunningham in the fourth," said
Allison Guth, Yale's Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach of Women's Basketball. "We're disappointed in the way we ran our offense. The poor decision making and turnovers – you can't do that against a good offensive team."
Yale missed six of its final seven shots from the field and committed 10 of its 24 turnovers for the night in the final eight minutes, derailing the chance for a signature victory as the Ivy schedule reaches the halfway point.
Clark and sophomore guard
Klara Astrom tied for the team lead in points with 13, while junior forward
Camilla Emsbo had a double-double with 12 rebounds and 11 points.
Yale held Princeton to its lowest point total in an Ivy League game since Feb. 14, 2020. That game was a 55-39 Princeton win at Yale – illustrating how even a great defensive effort can come up empty against a talented team like the Tigers.
"We're disappointed," said Guth. "We've proven to ourselves the level that we can play at. Unfortunately tonight turnovers were our Achilles heel."
Yale, third in the Ivy League standings, travels to Dartmouth next Friday.
