Yale Athletics

The Yale women’s basketball team (1–6, 0–0 Ivy) faced Marist (2–4, 0–0 MAAC) at home in the John J. Lee Amphitheater inside Payne Whitney Gymnasium on Tuesday, Nov. 28.

They returned from a seven-day break after traveling to Pennsylvania and California, where they faced off against Lehigh University, University of the Pacific and University of San Francisco. In Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, they battled hard against Lehigh, but ultimately fell 75–90. In California, the Bulldogs suffered two losses, 59–66 and 59–75.

After this long stretch of away games, the Bulldogs returned well-rested and ready to secure a win at home.

In the first period, the Red Foxes won the jump ball and hit a jumper, quickly putting them up 2–0. Four different Bulldogs retaliated, including a three-pointer by point guard Jenna Clark ’24 and two successful jump shots by Nyla McGill ’25. At the end of the first period, the Bulldogs led 11–8.

After the break, the game moved to the second period, which began with a layup by Brenna McDonald ’24, one of the Bulldog posts. The layups in the second quarter proved to be crucial toward extending the Yale lead, contributing to eight points out of fifteen scored in the second quarter. The Bulldogs led by nine points at the half with a score of 26–17. 

The Yale defense put on a clinic, allowing Marist only 17 total points in the first half.

Head Coach Dalila Eshe told Yale Athletics that the team executed their plan in the second half, which contributed to their success.

“The offense was awesome; we distributed the ball well,” Coach Eshe said. “In the first and second quarter we were trying to get the offense going, and we did in the third and fourth quarters, which is flipped from what we’ve usually been doing.”

Once the half ended, Kiley Capstraw ’26 immediately hit a layup, followed by a Clark jump shot. The third period felt like a lost cause for Marist as the Bulldogs extended their furthest lead of the game of 17 points. The third period ended with the Bulldogs maintaining their lead, 44–31.

The fourth saw the Bulldogs continue to dominate, holding a 19-point lead up to the very last moments of the game, thanks to a three-pointer by Lola Lesmond ’26 off an assist from Lucy Lynn ’27. Lesmond, who missed the majority of her season last year due to an injury, earned her first career points this game, a milestone for the sophomore. Ultimately, the Bulldogs left victorious over the Red Foxes, winning 61–45.

Eshe told Yale Athletics that this three-pointer was a huge victory for Lesmond and the team.

“It’s a really big deal for [Lesmond] to find her confidence and see one go down,” she said. “Not only did she find her shot, but the team did an excellent job executing and getting her an open look.”

Yale maintained an advantage over Marist in almost every category. They had 12 points off Red Fox turnovers, 38 points in the paint over Marist’s 22 and nine second-chance points off rebounds.

The win proved a testament to the strength of all players on the Bulldog team. Six players had at least six points, with McGill leading the team with 11 points. McDonald and Capstraw followed shortly behind, with 10 and eight points, respectively. Clark, though normally the leading scorer, took a step back to allow her teammates a chance at the bucket, heading the team with eight assists.

The Bulldogs play again at home at the John J. Lee Amphitheater against the University of Massachusetts Minutewomen (1–7, 0–0 A10) on Friday at 7 p.m..