Yale Edged by McGill

Photo by Sam Rubin

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Canadian national team goalie Charline Labonte made 22 saves and forward Marie-Andre Leclerc-Auger scored a pair of goals to lead McGill past Yale 2-1 in an exhibition game Sunday afternoon at Ingalls Rink. Freshman forward Aleca Hughes accounted for Yale's goal.

A day after making her collegiate debut in relief during Yale's 5-3 loss to New Hampshire, freshman Genny Ladiges got the start in net. She finished with 13 saves.

The Yale defense kept the Martlets from getting a shot on goal for nearly 15 minutes at the start of the game, but McGill was eventually able to score the game's first goal. Leclerc-Auger beat Ladiges from low in the right circle at 16:26 of the first.

Yale got the game's first power play at the end of the first but was unable to convert, and the Martlets then extended their lead. Three minutes into the second, Leclerc-Auger got behind the Yale defense at the blue line and skated in alone on Ladiges. She deked and then backhanded the puck in for a 2-0 advantage.

Ladiges came up with a big save three minutes later when a turnover in the Yale zone gave forward Ann-Sophie Bettez an open shot from the slot. Ladiges got a piece of it with her blocker to send it harmlessly into the corner. The freshman also denied a two-on-one with six minutes left in the period. Ladiges was able to glove forward Vanessa Davidson's shot from high in the slot.

Yale had one of its best scoring chances with three minutes left in the second, when sophomore forward Bray Ketchum's pass from the right corner found Hughes in front, but Hughes pushed the puck just outside the post.

The Bulldogs had a pair of close calls early in the third, but Ladiges deflected away Leclerc-Auger's shot on a two-on-one. Senior defenseman Carlee Ness then sticked aside a loose puck in the crease that was behind Ladiges after a save.

Yale pulled Ladiges and got on the scoreboard with 1:25 left in the game when junior defenseman Alyssa Clarke put a shot on goal from the left point and senior defenseman Helen Resor grabbed the rebound, skated behind the net, and fired a shot right back at Labonte from the right circle. Hughes deflected it in.

A hand pass call against the Bulldogs in the waning seconds with the puck in the McGill zone negated Yale's momentum. Yale was unable to get the puck back into the Martlets' zone for any more scoring threats, and time ran out on the Bulldogs.

Yale resumes regular season play at Union next Friday at 3:00 p.m.

report by Sam Rubin '95 (sam.rubin@yale.edu), Yale Sports Publicity