Box Score Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. – Cornell senior goalie Alex Botte made six saves to tie the school record for career wins (19) as the Big Red field hockey team took down Brown, 4-2, this afternoon on Marsha Dodson Field. Botte and her classmate Olivia Boyd will be honored tomorrow, Sunday, Oct. 23, as part of Cornell's Senior Day celebration prior to the Big Red's game against Rutgers on Marsha Dodson Field at 1 p.m.

Offensively, Cornell was led by sophomore Brittany Thompson, who was all over the field, created numerous scoring chances and finished the day with two goals. Classmate Hannah Balleza also tallied one goal and one assist, while Genevieve Collins had two assists and Kat DiPastina scored one goal. With her goal, Balleza moved up to eighth-place in Big Red history for career goals (17).

Cornell (7-7, 1-4) held the edge in shots (18-8), shots on goal (10-8) and penalty corners (8-3).

Brown (3-11, 0-5) got goals from Kit Masini and Kelley Harrison and goalie Shannon McSweeney stopped five shots, while Bridget McNamara made one defensive save to help the Bears' cause. 

The Big Red got on the scoreboard first with a brilliant individual effort from Thompson, who received the ball just inside the 25 yard line and drove through several Brown defenders. McSweeney charged off her line to try and steal the ball away, but Thompson alluded her and scored on the empty net to put Cornell up, 1-0, at the 6:03 mark.

Just over three minutes later, the visitors knotted the score at 1-1 when a deep pass found the stick of Kit Masini. Masini's initial touch popped the ball up and over her left shoulder, away from the Cornell defender that was playing her, and gave her a one-on-one opportunity. Botte stepped out to cut down the angle, but Masini pulled around her and scored the equalizer.

The deadlock was short-lived as another outstanding offensive play put Cornell back up, 2-1, in the 12th minute. Thompson got the play going when she stole a pass in the Brown half and pushed it out wide to Balleza, who immediately crossed it in front of the goal and Kat DiPastina stretched out to tip it into the net.

The Big Red got an insurance goal late in the first half when Balleza tipped a penalty corner shot from Collins into the goal to put Cornell up, 3-1, at the intermission.

Brown opened the scoring in the second half when it converted a penalty corner. The Bears' inserter Haley Alvarez sent the ball directly to Harrison, who was off to the left of the circle, and Harrison ripped a shot to the far post to make it a 3-2 contest with less than 23 minutes to play.

Cornell ended the threat with a penalty corner score of its own in the 61st minute as Thompson scored on a direct shot. Balleza and Collins were credited with the assists.