Dartmouth (3-5, 1-2 Ivy) struggled to capitalize on its opportunities throughout the game, while Yale (7-2, 2-2 Ivy) consistently added to its lead.
The Bulldogs scored two goals in each of the first two quarters, taking a 4-0 lead into halftime.
Chris Costabile '13 scored the Big Green's first goal midway through the third quarter to make the score 6-1. Co-captain Ari Sussman '10, who assisted on Costabile's goal, added a goal of his own minutes later to bring the score to 6-2, but that was as close as Dartmouth would get.
With the score at 7-2, Joshua Etzion '11 notched Dartmouth's third and final goal of the game.
Head coach Andy Towers said he was responsible for the loss and also pointed to Dartmouth goalie Fergus Campbell '12's nine saves as a bright spot.
"I thought the defense and goalie played well, but we need to create better shots on offense, and, as the offensive coach, that falls on me," he said.
Towers added that the offense did not shoot well, giving Yale goalie Johnathan Falcone many easy saves. Dartmouth's offensive problems are shown by the fact that the team only scored three goals against a team that allows an average of 8.9 goals a game even after factoring in the game on Saturday.
Co-captain Towny Swiggett '10 pointed to different problems in the game.
"We made poor decisions on offense and did not execute," he said. "If we turn the ball over like that, we won't be able to beat anyone."
Assistant coach Jon Torpey said the game boiled down to the team not being able to capitalize on its opportunities.
"This is Division-I lacrosse," he said. "You've got to make sure you take care of your chances because you don't get too many."
Torpey noted that, unlike last week, when Dartmouth beat No. 6 Cornell University 8-6, the Big Green did not come out with a lot of passion.
Co-captain Andy Gagel '10 said it was important not to dwell on the game.
"We can't take this loss as if it were the end of the season," he said. "The Ivy League [title] is still very much up in the air."
With the loss, the Big Green fell to sixth in the Ivy League, but with three games remaining in League play, nothing is decided.
Torpey said the team needs to get back to its fundamentals and execute. It will focus on that in practice this week, he added.
Swiggett said he hopes the team will be motivated by this loss and will be able to move forward.
Coming off a bad loss before the Cornell game Dartmouth had a six goal lead on No. 18 Harvard University in the third quarter before losing, 13-11 the Big Green was able to come back and win, a feat that Towers hopes the team will be able to replicate.
"Our guys have proven that they have the will to bounce back from these kinds of games," Towers said.
The Big Green take on No. 5 Princeton University (7-1, 3-0 Ivy) in Princeton on Saturday, making it four straight weeks that they have played a ranked Ivy League opponent.
