Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Freshman Lena Russomagno's three-goal outburst gave the Cornell women's soccer team a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over visiting Lafayette on Sunday afternoon at Berman Field. Russomagno scored the game-winner with 7:49 remaining in the contest to send the Big Red to its second straight win and third win at home in as many tries.

The hat trick for Russomagno is Cornell's second in as many seasons, as Allison McKeown '07 tallied a three-goal effort in Cornell's 5-0 win over Albany on Oct. 25, 2006, at Berman Field.

The freshman got the Big Red (3-3) on the board first, taking a pass across the top of the penalty area from senior Emily Kuhn and ripping a shot into the left side of the goal at the 9:19 mark of the contest. The Leopards (2-4) responded six minutes later as Kelly Koreyva took a pass from Caroline Tuttle about 25 yards from the Cornell goal and fired a rocket shot into the upper left corner of the net.

The score would remain tied at the break, and Lafayette went ahead just four minutes after halftime. Lafayette's Allison Hingley fired a shot off a corner kick that got past Cornell goalkeeper Jodi Palmer, but senior Mariye Wick, standing on the post, was called for handling the ball before it could get into the goal. Wick was booked for the play and the Leopards were awarded a penalty kick, which Tuttle converted to Palmer's left for the 2-1 advantage.

Four minutes later, Russomagno tied the score at two, cleaning up her own rebound in the box. The two sides would play the next 30 minutes deadlocked at two before the freshman from Wilmington, Del., put the Big Red ahead to stay. Sophomore Eva Dixon crossed the ball into the middle from the left flank to the oncoming Russomagno, who slipped the ball into the back of the net.

Palmer picked up a pair of saves in collecting her third win of the season, while Lafayette goalie Mary Kate Erdman made three stops in the losing effort. Cornell out-shot the Leopards, 15-9, and the two teams were even in corner kicks with four apiece.

Cornell closes out the three-game home stand on Friday when the Big Red plays host to Niagara in a 5 p.m. contest at Berman Field.