GAME INFORMATION
GAME #8: La Salle at Cornell
DATE: Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011
TIME: 4 p.m.
SITE: Ithaca, N.Y. — Charles F. Berman Field
2011 RECORDS: La Salle 5-0-1, Cornell 1-6
SERIES RECORD: First meeting
LIVE STATS: sidearmstats.com/cornell/wsoc
ABOUT THE BIG RED
Cornell dropped a pair of 2-0 contests over the weekend at the Red Fox Invitational, first to the host team, Marist, then to unbeaten Hartford. The latter game was particular physical, resulting in 30 fouls and the issuance of seven yellow cards. The Big Red won the last time it played at home, defeating Binghamton by a score of 1-0 on a strike from junior forward Xandra Hompe on Sept. 14. The team's biggest offensive outburst came in its debut on Sept. 2, when junior forward Maneesha Chitanvis scored twice in a 26-minute span against Fordham, then set up another goal finished by senior forward Brook Chang.
ABOUT LA SALLE
Of the 316 programs in Division I women's soccer, the Explorers are the last remaining team to not surrender a goal this season. Redshirt senior keeper Melissa Sanger has been in goal for every second of La Salle's six games, spanning 550 minutes, 34 seconds. Her six shutouts push her career total to 16, which ties a school record. Kelsey Haycook has factored in more than half of the team's 11 goals, scoring five times to go with one assist for a team-leading 11 points. Renee Washington (4g-1a—9p) and Jess Hopton (0g-5a—5p) are the club's next highest scorers. The Explorers are ranked ninth in the Mid-Atlantic Region by the National Soccer Coaches' Association of America.
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 14-51-3, 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.
TOAST OF THE TOURNAMENT
Senior co-captain Sidra Bonner was named to the Red Fox Invitational all-tournament team. The central defender plays an integral role in the center of the Big Red's defense, also coming forward as a threat in the air on set pieces.
BUSY TIMES
Tuesday's game wraps up a span of four games over six days for the Big Red, marking the first time the team has done so since the program gained varsity status in 1982. If the team's 17-game slate is completed as scheduled, it would be the most games its played in a season since 2006.
DON'T BLINK
In four out of the Big Red's last five games, a goal has been scored in the first 2:30 of the second half. Included in that stretch was Xandra Hompe's winning strike against Binghamton on Sept. 14.
FRESH FACES
With injuries mounting, 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.
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.
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 begins Ivy League play with Columbia visiting Charles F. Berman Field at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23. The Big Red then wraps up its home portion of the non-league schedule at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, when Niagara comes to town.
