Box Score
HAMILTON, N.Y. – The Big Red field hockey dominated the first half of play and road an early two-goal advantage to a 2-1 victory this evening on Tyler's Field in Hamilton, N.Y. With the win, Cornell improves to 7-3.
“Midweek games are always tough,” said head coach
Donna Hornibrook. “I was pleased with how well we moved the ball in the first half, and I was very impressed with Colgate's resolve and play in the second half. So I'm very happy to come out of tonight's game with a win.”
The Big Red continued its trend of offensive balance, seeing three different players reach the points' column with
Mallory Bannon scoring her first collegiate goal,
Hannah Balleza converting her second penalty stroke of the season and
Catie De Stio registering her team-best fourth assist on the year.
Cornell held the significant advantage in shots (21-5) and shots on goal (15-2), but Colgate had the edge in penalty corners (6-4).
The Big Red got on the board just 2:42 into the contest when De Stio took a quick restart on an out-of-bounds play deep in Colgate territory. De Stio carried the ball along the endline before sending a cross in front of the cage that was tipped into the upper righthand corner of the net by Bannon.
Just under nine minutes later, De Stio helped to set up Cornell's next goal when she had a breakaway scoring chance. Her initial shot was saved before her follow-up shot was stopped on the goal-line by the body of a Raider defender. As a result of the foul, the Big Red earned its second penalty stroke of the season and once again, Balleza converted her chance to put the visitors up, 2-0.
Colgate (3-9) scored just moments into the second half to pull within one when Olivia Nabhan and Laura Denenga teamed up for a give-and-go goal that Nabhan slipped just under
Alex Botte's arm.
The Big Red had several great chances throughout the second half, but it was unable to find an insurance goal as Raiders' goalie Kristen Lalli continued her solid play, finishing the game with 13 saves.
Cornell is back in action this weekend when it takes on Lehigh at Marsha Dodson Field on Sunday, Oct. 10 at noon.
