D-I Women's Notes: Yale's Loud Statement, UNC's Loud Offense

As Yale carried a 10-6 lead over a then-No. 3 Michigan squad Saturday afternoon in New Haven, Fallon Vaughn corralled a ground ball just beyond the midfield line. Within seconds, three defenders converged.

Flanked by markers to her front, back and right, Vaughn let muscle memory take over as she rocked her stick back and forth.

“I was just so panicked and so dialed into the game at that point,” Vaughn said. “I really wasn’t planning anything. It kind of just happened.”

With a half-spin and a sensational showcase of stickwork, the reigning Ivy League Midfielder of the Year eluded the triple team and advanced the ball toward the attacking end. The play was one of many standout moments for the senior in the Bulldogs’ 12-6 win over the Wolverines.

Vaughn, who tallied two goals and two assists, said Yale sought to issue a statement of its intent as it entered its season opener. She added that it didn’t matter who the Bulldogs lined up against — they wanted to prove they belonged among the nation’s best.

“The whole narrative since I’ve been here is that no one really respects the Ivy League or the Yale program,” Vaughn said. “We just love being the underdogs. We love playing up.”

The Concord, Mass., native had a hand in the Bulldogs’ first two goals, assisting the opener and scoring to double the lead just 40 seconds later. By the time the first quarter concluded, the Bulldogs held a 5-1 advantage.

Although the Wolverines cut the deficit down to one in the third frame, Yale coach Erica Bamford leaned on her veteran-laden lineup to lock down a seemingly surging visiting squad. The Bulldogs delivered in decisive fashion, with Vaughn, Taylor Everson, Jenna Collignon and Karina Herrera grabbing the game’s final five goals amid 18-plus minutes of shutdown defense.

Vaughn said her team’s closing effort proved a testament to its preparation.

“You work so hard in practice the whole year, so games are just kind of the fun part,” Vaughn said. “We do so much prep, [and] Erica really tells us to just play and have fun.”

Bamford said the Bulldogs’ “wealth of experience” helped them stay committed to the game plan throughout the matchup. She highlighted her 16 seniors as a transformational class that continues to write new chapters in program history.

“This class is so special. They came to Yale determined to make their mark, while honoring the women who came before them,” Bamford said. “Over the past three-and-a-half years, they have poured themselves into this program and each other in pursuit of our collective goals.”

For Vaughn, Saturday’s win demonstrates how the Bulldogs’ comprehensive belief has ushered in significant success in recent seasons.

Vaughn, who has posted a team-high eight points in Yale’s first two games, said the building blocks had always been in place. Statement wins and NCAA tournament trips hinged upon buy-in to Bamford’s vision, Vaughn added.

“Freshman and sophomore year, we just wanted to make it to the Ivy League tournament, let alone the final,” Vaughn said. “Last year was the biggest jump because we took it game by game. We didn’t look too far ahead to the future, but at the same time, we had really big goals set for ourselves that most [outside the program] didn’t believe in.”

SISTER ACT LEADING UNC

North Carolina’s resurgent squad weathered its first major test at Dizney Stadium, where coach Jenny Levy’s team knocked off Florida 14-9 on Saturday. During the non-conference clash, one of the nation’s preeminent attacking duos combined for 13 points.

While they hadn’t shared the college stage until the 2025 season, Ashley and Chloe Humphrey’s on-field chemistry spans back to countless hours tossing the ball around in their Darien, Conn., backyard. But the pair is still getting used to playing together on a full-size field.

“We actually haven’t played together before, so we’re still figuring it out,” Ashley Humphrey said. “There’s so much room to grow. The opportunities that our teammates are giving us on the field are giving us these openings that we’re able to execute on. There’s so much more that goes on behind the scenes.”

Still, Ashley and Chloe Humphrey have combined for 30 points in the season’s first three games, helping the Tar Heels secure the No. 2 spot in the national polls. The two spearhead an attack that averages 17 goals per game.

But beyond the stat sheet, the attackers have relished the “dream” experience of teaming up with their older sister, Nicole, who won a title with UNC in 2022 before transferring to USC and ultimately returning to Chapel Hill.

UNC has outscored its opponents 51-12 in its first three games, knocking off two ranked opponents in James Madison and Florida. As the Tar Heels shift gears to their ACC opener against No. 6 Syracuse this Saturday, Ashley Humphrey said her team has focused on improving on a day-to-day basis.

For Nicole Humphrey, a player familiar with Memorial Day weekend glory, UNC’s ceiling appears especially lofty.

“It’s really easy to tell the culture of a team and how far that culture can take you when you’re constantly fighting for the people next to you,” Nicole Humphrey said. “This is the closest team culture I’ve ever seen.”

BY THE NUMBERS

1,804 • Days No. 3 Northwestern went without a loss in Evanston prior to Saturday’s 13-9 loss to No. 1 Boston College.

26 • Clemson’s program record for goals scored in a game, set Sunday in a 26-6 rout of Stetson. 

5 • Consecutive victories for No. 10 Loyola in its crosstown rivalry with No. 9 Johns Hopkins.

10 • Navy players who tallied goals in a 21-11 victory over No. 20 Richmond.

5.67 • Oregon midfielder Anna Simmons’ average goals per game, a national-best among players with at least three appearances this season.