PRINCETON, N.J. – The Cornell University field hockey team erased a 2-0 halftime deficit and got a late goal in the waning seconds of the game by senior Abbi Horn to upset perennial Ivy League power, Princeton, 4-3, this afternoon at the Class of '52 Stadium. The victory snaps the Tigers' 16-game unbeaten streak vs. the Big Red, as Cornell improves to 6-2 overall and 3-1 in the Ancient Eight.
"We like to live on the edge," laughed Coach Donna Hornibrook. "This was just an amazing game and a complete team effort. I think we showed a lot of composure in coming back from a 2-0 deficit and I attribute that to having been in so many close games this season. We went into the locker room at halftime knowing that we were playing well and that we just needed to keep working to get back into the game. It was just a very special win."
Princeton (4-4, 3-1 Ivy) tallied two goals off deflections late in the first half, one off the stick of Tina Bortz, with the other coming from Holly McGarvie, to take a 2-0 lead into the intermission.
After the break, Cornell wasted little time as senior defender Katie Bradshaw scored her first goal of the season at the 36:49 mark. Just over 10 minutes later, the Big Red tied the game at 2-2 as junior Mandy Malzberg got her first goal of the season as she redirected a shot from freshman Kate Thompson into the back of the net.
Junior Alyssa DePaola gave Cornell its first lead of the day as she took a pass from freshman Catie De Stio and slotted it past Princeton goalie Cynthia Wray to make it 3-2 in the 55th minute.
The Tigers refused to go down without a fight, however, and with just over five minutes left to play, Paige Schmidt put a shot on cage that was saved by Cornell goalie Shannon Prescott, but the Big Red couldn't control the rebound and McGarvie lifted the ball over Prescott and into the goal to make it a 3-3 game and set up Horn's heroics.
The goal by Horn came off a penalty corner and was also her first goal of the season.
The Big Red, who last defeated Princeton during the 1990 season, got an outstanding game from Prescott, who made eight saves, including seven in the decisive second half, to notch the victory, while Wray stopped three.
Princeton out shot Cornell, 22-13, and held a decisive 11-4 edge in penalty corners.
Cornell is back in action on Sunday, Oct. 7, as it plays host to Harvard on Schoellkopf Field at noon.
