Box Score ITHACA, N.Y. – Cornell junior Hannah Balleza registered the first hat trick of her career, with three consecutive goals in the first half of play, as she led the Big Red field hockey team to its first victory of the season, a 4-0 triumph over Ivy League foe Penn  this afternoon on Marsha Dodson Field. With the win, Cornell moves to 1-4 on the year, while the Quakers' record evens at 3-3 (0-1 Ivy).

“I'm really pleased with our team effort today,” said head coach Donna Hornibrook. “I feel like we executed well in scoring chances and we continue to do good work defensively, which we've done for the past two games.”

The game was extremely close statistically, with Cornell holding the slim 15-14 edge in shots, while penalty corners were even at seven apiece. In the end, the contest came down to the Big Red making the most of its offensive chances, while getting eight saves from junior goalkeeper Carolyn Horner, as well as a defensive save from freshman Taylor Standiford. Penn's goalie Carly Sokach made just six saves in the loss.

Balleza got the Big Red off to a great start when she converted a pass from Alania Skalski in the eighth minute of play to make it a 1-0 game. Just under five minutes later, the home team went up 2-0 off a perfectly executed penalty corner when the ball went from Kat DiPastina to Brittany Thompson before Balleza one-timed it into the net.

The Big Red continued to keep up the offensive pressure and in the 22nd minute DiPastina came up with a loose ball and dribbled up the left side before sending it into the circle to Balleza, who ripped a shot from past Sokach to make it a 3-0 game.

Less than two minutes later, Cornell earned its final goal when Elly Plappert collected a long upfield pass from Balleza, bounced the ball off the ground to get around her defender, and then lofted it over Sokach's head to score her first goal of her career and to account for the 4-0 final.

The Big Red plays a pair of games on the road next weekend as it faces Ivy League foe Columbia on Friday, Sept. 21 at 4 p.m., before stepping out of conference to take on Rutgers on Sunday, Sept. 23 at 1 p.m.