Box Score ITHACA, N.Y. – Hayleigh Cudmore tallied a goal and an assist and Lauren Slebodnick stopped 27 shots as No. 3 Cornell defeated No. 7/8 Boston College, 2-0, in the first game of a two-game set at Lynah Rink.
 
Cornell entered the weekend leading the nation in power play percentage at 33.5 percent overall this season and cashed in on two of six opportunities with the man advantage Friday night.
 
Cudmore, a senior defenseman, got the Big Red on the board early in the second period when senior defenseman Hayleigh Cudmore tallied her fourth of the year on the power play with a slapshot from the right point that beat Corinne Boyles high glove.
 
Despite a tentative start after a week off, Cornell picked up the pace five minutes into the first and didn't let up. Aggressive fore-checking and sustained presence in the offensive zone helped tire the visiting Eagles and draw penalties at key moments.
 
After the Eagles' Kate Leary was issued a penalty for tripping, sophomore Taylor Woods the ensuing faceoff back to linemate Monika Leck. Leck played the puck around the boards to Cassandra Poudrier on the left point who then passed it along the blue line to Cudmore for the open look.
 
Cornell's second power-play goal of the game came with one second remaining on a Dana Trivigno interference penalty midway through the third period when Taylor Woods beat Boyles on the glove side again off a feed from Cudmore on the left circle.
 
Slebodnick came up huge in the third for the Big Red, making 19 saves after only being tested eight times combined in the first and second. She got a little help from her defense midway through the third when a pass attempt found her out of position. Jessica Campbell blocked a shot in the crease on a wrap-around try to preserve the shutout for Slebodnick – her second of the season.
 
Senior co-captain Alyssa Gagliardi, who leads the team in blocked shots, added five more to her season tally on Friday night, helping Cornell clog the shooting lanes and shut down the Eagles' top scorers, including one of the nation's leaders, Haley Skarupa.
 
The Big Red will face off against the Eagles again on Saturday, with the puck drop scheduled for 4 p.m.