Yale Athletics

The Yale women’s basketball team (4–13, 1–3 Ivy) battled Dartmouth (6–10, 0–4 Ivy) at home in the John J. Lee Amphitheater inside Payne Whitney Gymnasium on Saturday, Jan. 20. 

Coming off a tough loss against Columbia (12–5, 3–1 Ivy) the Monday prior, the Bulldogs hoped to fashion together their first conference win of the season. The game against Dartmouth was the fourth conference game of the season. 

The game versus the Big Green also celebrated National Girls and Women in Sports Day by hosting a clinic in the morning with women from a variety of Yale’s athletics teams, inviting kids from around the New Haven area to participate in fun activities with the athletes. The match-up occurred soon after the event at 1 p.m.

Quickly into the first period, Yale post Brenna McDonald ’24 sank a jumper, which was followed by a three-pointer from point guard Jenna Clark ’24, giving the Blue and White an early lead. Though the Big Green stayed ahead, rebounds by Clark and Nyla McGill ’25 helped to assist in baskets and keep Yale close in the game. The end of the first quarter had Dartmouth ahead by just two points, 15–13.

In the second quarter, the Bulldogs fought back to tie the game at 19–19, thanks in part to a Grace Thybulle ’25 free throw. From there, the two teams battled neck and neck, tying at 22–22, 24–24, 26–26, before an end-of-the-quarter layup from Kiley Capstraw ’26 pushed Yale ahead, 28–26.

The second half proved to be a tight race. Though the Bulldogs outscored the Big Green in the first half, Dartmouth quickly bounced back, out-scoring Yale 9–6 in the third quarter and snatching the lead away, 35–34. The comeback for the Blue and White would prove challenging, but never impossible.

At 4:50 in the fourth quarter, back-to-back three-pointers from Capstraw and Clark propelled the Bulldogs in front of the Big Green, building momentum and establishing the confidence they needed to win. The two players for the Blue and White were the sole scorers of the fourth quarter, with Capstraw’s posting seven points and Clark’s posting eight. In a storybook ending of a hard-fought game between teams so far unsuccessful in conference play, the Yale Bulldogs proved their bite was just as big as their bark, howling victoriously over Dartmouth, 48–46.

Rebounds abounded during this defensive clinic of a game, with the Bulldogs’ racking up 28 to Dartmouth’s 32. Though points were scarce for either side, both Clark and Capstraw were able to put up 16 points each to aid their team’s cause. McDonald led the team with seven rebounds.

This victory marked the seventh straight success over Dartmouth for the Blue and White.

Head coach Dalila Eshe told Yale Athletics that this win could be just what her team needed to excel in the rest of Ivy League conference play.

“Our narrative is, we’ve been saving the good stuff,” she said. “Any way you can come up with a win works. This gives us a chance to find some confidence.”

The Bulldogs play again at home at the John J. Lee Amphitheater against Harvard (10–7, 3–1 Ivy) for the second time this season on Saturday, Jan. 27 at 1 p.m.