Bulldogs Shut Down Brown in Second Half, Post 16-10 Win

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse | 4/15/2023 3:16:00 PM | Tim Bennett

Lyons scores seven goals, Johnson records 100th career point

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Yale has been among the nation's highest scoring teams throughout the season. On Saturday against Brown, the defense showed it isn't too shabby either. The Bulldogs held Brown's high-octane offense to just two second-half goals in a very important 16-10 victory over the Bears at Reese Stadium. And the offense certainly played a key role as well. Chris Lyons scored seven goals, while Matt Brandau, Brad Sharp and Thomas Bragg each contributed two goals. Sophomore Leo Johnson added one goal and two assists. His assist on Brandau's goal late in the third quarter was the 100th point of his young career. The victory was the third straight for the Bulldogs (6-4, 2-3 Ivy). "That was a HARD-fought win for us," said Andy Shay, the Forst Family Head Coach of the Bulldogs. "They are a very good team. They are great up the middle. I was really impressed with how our guys responded." Both offenses were clicking in the first two quarters. After Lyons tallied the first goal of the game, the Bears responded with the next four. Another goal from Lyons and one from Bragg with just four seconds left pulled Yale within one, 4-3, after 15 minutes. Brown's Corsi Matteo scored the first goal of the second quarter, but Yale answered with the next four. A three-goal Bears run tied the score at 8-8, but Lyons scored again with 3:18 left to give the Bulldogs a 9-8 halftime lead. Yale, playing its regular season home finale, seized control with a strong third quarter, outscoring Brown 4-1. Carson Kuhl's goal was the second in a 3-0 spurt midway through the period and put the Bulldogs in front 12-9. Brandau then capped the scoring with 3:18 left. Devon McLane's goal early in the fourth pulled the Bears within 13-10, but Brown never got closer as Lyons (2 goals) and Brandau (1) put the finishing touches on the impressive victory. Brown (5-6, 1-3 Ivy) had a 52-48 edge in shots and won 22-of-30 face offs. Matteo, Griffin King and Jack Kelly all scored twice to pace the Bears. Jared Paquette was strong in goal for the Bulldogs, finishing with 15 saves. Prior to the game, Yale honored six seniors making their final regular season appearance at Reese. Konrad Collins, Miles Leniw, Brady McDermott, Elliot Sawyer-Kaplan, Skyler Wilson and Kyle Zawadzki have made a significant impact during one of the most successful eras in the long history of Yale Lacrosse. Over the last four seasons, including one that was cut short by the pandemic, the Bulldogs have won 36 games. In 2022, the six helped Yale capture an Ivy League championship, and in their first year in 2019, the Bulldogs advanced to the championship game of the NCAA Tournament. "It's a class that came in with a lot of pressure, and they've responded," Shay said. "The leadership on this team has been exceptional. In the stretch where we weren't playing so well, those guys were carrying the flag. It's a credit to that senior class." Shay was able to get the seniors in the game in the final minutes. Leniw finished up in goal and made a save, while Zawadzski had three ground balls. The Bulldogs take a break from Ivy League play to travel to Albany on Friday night. The opening face off is slated for 7 p.m. Yale then closes out the regular season on Apr. 29 at Harvard.