Loss to Yale ensures losing league record for football

NEW HAVEN, CONN. — Both Princeton and Yale celebrated scores three times in Saturday's game at the Yale Bowl. After the Elis' 21-9 victory, however, it is clear that three touchdowns trumps three field goals any day.

"We have to score touchdowns," head coach Roger Hughes said. "And that's been our focus all week. We made too many mistakes penalty-wise that have put us in long-yardage situations that we couldn't make a play to overcome."

Yale's first drive of the game demonstrated its collective determination, and also showcased the senior player who would carry the Elis' offensive load. On the team's first touch, tailback Robert Carr eased his way through a hole in the middle of the line. Speeding past the futile grasps of Tiger defenders, he motored his way upfield for a gain of 26 yards. On the eighth play of the drive from Princeton's 18-yard line, Cowan's offensive line gave him sufficient time to look downfield and see tight end Alex Faherty cutting into the left corner of the endzone. The resultant touchdown pass gave Yale the early 7-0 lead.

The Tigers' opening drive appeared to presage an offensive punch and counterpunch battle. With the ball on its own 28-yard line, Princeton took advantage of a 14-yard reception by junior tight end Jon Dekker and back-to-back catches of 11 and 12 yards respectively, by junior wide receiver Greg Fields to advance the ball to Yale's 19. On third and one from Yale's 10, senior tailback Jon Veach was dropped for a loss of two yards. After a five-yard Tiger penalty, junior placekicker Derek Javarone drilled a wind-aided 34-yard field goal, his longest kick of the season.

Yale's next possession continued this pattern of Princeton searching for a defensive stop and Carr masquerading as Barry Sanders. On the kickoff, Carr high-stepped down the sidelines for 50 yards before being knocked out by Javarone. Yale quickly progressed down to the Tiger 13. The Princeton defense stiffened on 3rd and inches, forcing Yale to go for it on fourth down. Needing inches, Carr gave his team 13 yards and the touchdown.

The good news is that things could have been worse. Despite entering halftime with an 11-point lead, Yale left points on the field. Twice the Bulldogs entered the red zone, and twice placekicker Andrew Sullivan missed midrange field goal attempts.

Early in the third quarter, the Tigers staged a comeback. After trading three-and-outs, the Princeton moved the ball 83 yards down the field, only to be stopped just shy of the endzone. Javarone's skills were again required, and was again successful, this time from 19 yards . Just over six minutes later, with one second remaining in the quarter, Javarone capitalized on a 22-yard attempt to trim the lead to 14-9.

"I thought we were clawing our way back into the game at that point," Hughes said.

Although the Tigers normally gain crucial yards in punt returns, the Bulldogs' special teams unit shut down junior wide receiver Greg Fields. In fact, it was a blown punt return that turned into the biggest play of the game. Less than a minute into the fourth quarter, Fields fumbled a punt on the Princeton 27. As the ball spurted out across the field, Yale's Matt Baker finally corralled it on the 17. Three plays later, Carr rushed in for the touchdown, giving the Yale a 21-9 lead.

Playing with confidence, Yale stopped the Tigers on each of their subsequent drives. Although Princeton's defense finally found a way to stop Carr in the second half, the damage was already done. He had 160 of the Elis' 162 rushing yards and added 72 yards on kickoff returns.

On this day Carr held the cards, and the Tigers had the three-hour drive to contemplate how to change things prior to next week's final game against Dartmouth.