Jan. 2, 2006

Box Score

NEW HAVEN, CONN - Freshman Jamie Van Horne (Healdsburg, Calif.) led four Bulldogs in double-digit scoring, hitting on 5-7 three point attempts for a team high 17 points in a dramatic 66-61 win over the Mountain Hawks on Monday night. Lehigh's Sara Ellis had a game-high 20 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome the potent Bulldogs attack.

Yale started hot in the first half, connecting on 53.3% of their shots in the stanza. Erica Davis (Columbus, N.J.) had 10 points in the half on 5-7 shooting from the floor. Captain Chinenye Okafor (Rolla, Mo.) also had 10 points in the half, hitting five of six shots. Their efforts, as well as a strong team defensive effort gave Yale a 37-24 lead at the break.

The Bulldogs nursed the lead up to 17 on two occasions in the opening minutes of the second half, but the Mountain Hawks went on a ten point run to cut the lead to 9 on an Adrienne Blount lay-up. Sara McCollum (Old Lyme, Conn.) picked up two of her 10 to stop the run.

The game remained an 11 point affair until Lehigh cut it to 9 after a pair of Ellis free throws. She finished the night a perfect 11-11 from the stripe. The Bulldogs responded with a three ball from Van Horne to go back up a dozen.

Lehigh then cut further into the lead, getting as close as six with 2:48 left on a Emily Geosits trey, but again Van Horne retaliated, bombing a three of her own just 19 seconds later to put Yale up 61-52.

The Bulldogs wouldn't be able to hold the large lead, allowing the Hawks to get to as close as four with 32 seconds left, but Yale hit enough free throws to keep the resurgent Hawks at bay.

The win is Yale's first on the season, and the first in the Bulldog career of Chris Gobrecht. They are 1-10 on the season. The loss drops Lehigh to 4-7 on the season.

Yale returns to action when they travel to in-state rivals Quinnipiac. Tip-off is at 7:00 pm in Hamden, Conn.