The Yale women’s basketball team kicked off their season with a game against the University of Pittsburgh on Tuesday. The game took place at the Petersen Events Center, marking the beginning of the 2023-24 season for the Bulldogs. The team, with a record of 0–1, 0–0 Ivy, faced the Pittsburgh Panthers, who had a record of 1–0, 0–0 ACC.
The Bulldogs brought back almost every player from the previous season, including their newly-elected captain Jenna Clark ’24. Clark, who plays as the point guard, is determined to build on her impressive stats. She currently holds the seventh position in school history for assists, with 318, and scored 293 points in the last season alone. She was also a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award, which is given to the top point guard in the country.
Additionally, the Bulldogs welcomed back Ivy League Co-Defensive Player of the Year Nyla McGill ’25 and five-time Ivy League Rookie of the Week selection Kiley Capstraw ’26. In the previous season, the Bulldogs achieved a 13–14 overall record and a 7–7 record in the Ivy League, placing them fifth overall.
On the other hand, the Panthers had a 10–20 overall record and a 3–15 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference last year.
The game against Pittsburgh was particularly special for Clark and Haley Sabol ’24, as it was their hometown. McGill expressed the team’s excitement for the trip to Pittsburgh, highlighting the anticipation of playing after a long preseason and the desire to improve the team’s performance from the previous year.
The game started with Pittsburgh winning the jumpball in the first quarter. Despite this, Clark and Capstraw dominated the first quarter, scoring a combined total of 13 points. By the end of the first quarter, Yale was leading Pittsburgh 23–18.
The second period saw a continuation of the aggressive play from both teams. Clark was substituted halfway through the second quarter to avoid fouling out of the game. Although Yale managed to stay in the game with points from Christen McCann ’25 and Brenna McDonald ’24, the Panthers gained 10 extra points from free throws due to consistent fouls against the Bulldogs. At halftime, the Bulldogs were trailing 34–42.
The third quarter began with Clark back on the court, and the Bulldogs displayed high energy. Despite trailing, they fought hard, with McDonald and Grace Thybulle ’25 contributing to cutting the deficit to six, with a score of 52–58.
In the fourth quarter, Yale managed to reduce the deficit against Pittsburgh to 74–76. However, a three-pointer by Pittsburgh’s Bella Perkins secured the win for the Panthers, with a final score of 74–79.
Although the Bulldogs fell short against the Panthers, their determination was evident as they fought for every point and rebound. Clark led the team in both points and assists, with 19 and nine, respectively. McDonald led with seven rebounds, closely followed by Capstraw with five. Thybulle had an impressive seven out of nine field goals.
Mackenzie Egger ’25, who contributed two rebounds and four points against the Panthers, expressed her excitement to showcase the capabilities of the Yale women’s basketball team this season. She emphasised the team’s collective effort towards winning an Ivy League Championship and the anticipation of playing against strong teams in non-conference games.
The team will return home for a few more days of practice before their next game. Egger highlighted the importance of these practice sessions in honing their skills, focusing on strengths, and addressing areas for improvement to ensure they are well-prepared for the start of the season.
The Bulldogs’ next game is against Saint Joseph’s this Saturday at the John J. Lee Amphitheatre inside the Payne Whitney Gymnasium. This will be their last home game until Nov. 28.