GAME INFORMATION
GAME #5: Binghamton at Cornell
DATE: Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011
TIME: 7 p.m.
SITE: Ithaca, N.Y. – Charles F. Berman Field
2011 RECORDS: Binghamton 3-4; Cornell 0-4
SERIES RECORD: Tied, 1-1-2
LAST MEETING: Cornell won, 3-1, on Sept. 22, 2010 at Vestal, N.Y.
LIVE STATS: www.CornellBigRed.com
ABOUT THE BIG RED
Cornell is coming off its best effort of the current four-game homestand, but it still didn't get a favorable result in its last game. Despite holding a 19-4 advantage in shots against Bucknell, the Big Red surrendered a goal on the Bison's only quality chance of the game en route to a 1-0 loss on Saturday, Sept. 10 at Berman Field. Junior forward Maneesha Chitanvis scored Cornell's first two goals of the season against Fordham, then set up another finished by senior forward Brook Chang. The Big Red hasn't scored in its last three games.
ABOUT BINGHAMTON
All four of the Bearcats' losses have been 1-0, with three of them coming in overtime. The most recent game was Sunday afternoon's loss at Siena, the reigning Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference champion. All five of Binghamton's goals have been scored by different players. Sarah Furminger leads the team in scoring with one goal and one assist. The Bearcats have outscored opponents 3-0 in the second half, and sophomore goalkeeper Carrie Martin has a 0.59 goals-against average with two shutouts.
THE SERIES WITH BINGHAMTON
Cornell won its first game in four tries against Binghamton last season, using a pair of second-half goals to pad an early lead before holding on for a 3-1 victory in Vestal. Maneesha Chitanvis — who currently leads the Big Red in scoring — had the winning goal, and Rachel Nichols scored her first collegiate goal to cap Cornell's scoring burst. Binghamton won the teams' first meeting in 2001, then the teams played scoreless draws in 2004 and 2009. Current Big Red head coach Danielle LaRoche was an assistant coach for Binghamton during the 2004 meeting, and Cornell assistant coach Danielle Plourde was a senior captain for the Bearcats.
HEAD COACH DANIELLE LAROCHE
Now in her fifth season directing the Big Red women's soccer program, Danielle LaRoche has assembled a team that is on the verge of a breakout. The fourth coach in Cornell history, she holds a career coaching mark of 13-49-3, but the Big Red is coming off its best season since 2005. She picked up her first collegiate head coaching victory on Sept. 7, 2007, when Cornell defeated Hartford, 1-0, in double overtime. LaRoche's career also includes stops as an assistant coach at George Mason, Binghamton and Howard. A 1995 graduate of Maryland, LaRoche played two seasons for the Terrapins under April Heinrichs, who would later go on to serve as the head coach of the U.S. Women's National Team. LaRoche is assisted by Megan Ramey and Danielle Plourde, both in their first season with the Big Red.
YOUTH IS STILL SERVED
After sporting just two seniors on its roster last season, the Big Red still has fewer seniors on its squad than any other class. Twenty of the team's 33 players are underclassmen, while just six – Megan Bartlett, Kelly Murphy, Abigail Apistolas, Abageal Vonderweidt, Brook Chang and Sidra Bonner – are seniors.
ALL-IVY ANCHORS
Not only did Cornell lose just one starter to graduation after a 2010 season that saw the team record its highest win total in five years, but it returns a decorated pair of seniors. Central defender Sidra Bonner and goalkeeper Megan Bartlett, both named second-team All-Ivy League players last season, return to anchor a Big Red back line that surrendered just 17 goals while racking up six shutouts last season.
FOLLOW THE LEADER
Seniors Sidra Bonner and Abigail Apistolas serve as co-captains for the Big Red. Both were also captains in 2010 and have played in every one of the team's games in each of the last two seasons.
FRESH FACES
Cornell started a season-high three freshmen on Saturday, Sept. 10 against Bucknell, and there was no drop-off in the team's play. Forward Kerry Schubert, midfielder Claire MacManus and defender Sydney Cetrullo all played a significant role — as did forward Jaclyn Katz off the bench — with the speedy Schubert leading the way with a staggering six shots.
NATIONAL APPEAL
The Big Red has 13 different states represented on the team roster, with Virginia having six players on the roster. Cornell has five players that hail from California, four from Massachusetts, three from New Jersey and New York, and two apiece from Minnesota, Michigan, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. States with a single representative include Hawaii, Colorado, New Mexico and Oregon.
UP NEXT
Cornell hits the road for the first time since its season debut to play a pair of games in the Marist Tournament. The Big Red will play the host Red Foxes at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16 before taking on Hartford at noon on Sunday, Sept. 18.
