GAME INFORMATION
GAME #9: Columbia at Cornell
DATE: Friday, Sept. 23, 2011
TIME: 7 p.m.
SITE: Ithaca, N.Y. — Charles F. Berman Field
2011 RECORDS: Columbia 2-4, Cornell 1-7
SERIES RECORD: Cornell leads, 17-8
LIVE STATS: sidearmstats.com/cornell/wsoc
GAME #10: Niagara at Cornell
DATE: Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011
TIME: 3 p.m.
SITE: Ithaca, N.Y. — Charles F. Berman Field
2011 RECORDS: Niagara 2-6, Cornell 1-7
SERIES RECORD: Niagara leads, 2-1
LIVE STATS: sidearmstats.com/cornell/wsoc
ABOUT THE BIG RED
Cornell has dropped its last three games by identical scores of 2-0, including Tuesday's defeat at Berman Field against unbeaten La Salle. The Big Red's last win came on Sept. 14, when junior forward Xandra Hompe scored the lone goal in a victory over visiting Binghamton. 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 COLUMBIA
The Lions scored their first goals of the season last weekend, securing a pair of victories at home over Iona and Long Island by scores of 2-1 and 1-0, respectively. All three of Columbia's goals have come from close range. Junior Lexi Nichols scored the winner on a goal-mouth scramble in overtime against Iona after sophomore Colleen Rizzo opened the scoring off a kneed-in corner kick. Freshman Erin Falk converted a rebound from six yards in the 82nd minute against Long Island. Senior Lillian Klein has played every second in goal after posting seven shutouts in 15 starts last season. Kevin McCarthy is in his 18th season as the head coach.
THE SERIES AGAINST COLUMBIA
While Cornell has a significant advantage in the all-time series, 17-8, Columbia has won the last five meetings between the teams. Ashlin Yahr scored goals in the opening 15 minutes in each of the last two seasons' meetings, leading to 1-0 victories for the Lions. The Big Red's last win against Columbia came on Sept. 23, 2005.
ABOUT NIAGARA
Both of the Purple Eagles' victories this season have come in overtime, while each of the squad's losses included conceding anywhere from two to five goals. Niagara dropped a pair of 2-0 contests to Buffalo and St. Bonaventure in last weekend's Big Four Classic in Lewiston. Sophomore forward Breanna Catipovic leads the team in scoring with two goals and an assist for five points, while freshman midfielder Catherine Meyer and senior midfielder Laura Kimoto also have a pair of goals on the season. Senior forward Adriana Gallo has a team-leading three assists. Senior goalkeeper Gabrielle Wilson has started seven of the team's eight games, while three of freshman Mariah Hoy's appearances have been in relief.
THE SERIES AGAINST NIAGARA
As a sophomore, Sidra Bonner scored her first collegiate goal for the Big Red in its last meeting with the Purple Eagles, which produced a 3-1 victory for the host team in Lewiston. Natalie Zandt scored an overtime goal to give Cornell a 2-1 victory on Sept. 21, 2007 in Niagara's only previous visit to Charles F. Berman Field.
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 14-52-3, 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 Sambur, 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.
DON'T BLINK
In four out of the Big Red's last six 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 hits the road for a two-game road trip, starting with its final non-conference game on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at Lafayette. The Big Red then visits regionally ranked Penn on Friday night before a one-week hiatus in advance of its next home game, Oct. 8 against Harvard.
