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ITHACA, N.Y. – Cornell men's soccer closed out its home slate on Saturday evening, falling 3-0 to Dartmouth at Berman Field. The loss officially eliminated the Big Red from the Ivy League title discussion as Cornell fell to 2-4 in league play.
 
The game had the feel of an elimination game for both teams. The Big Red absolutely needed a victory to keep its slim title hopes alive, while the Big Green needed a win to continue to hold its own destiny at the top of the Ivy League standings. Despite the sub-freezing wind-chill temperatures, both squads blazed all over the field, creating an effervescent pace in the opening 45-minutes.
 
While Cornell (9-6-1; 2-4-0 Ivy League) was riding a wave of emotion as it honored an extremely accomplished senior class before play began, Dartmouth (10-4-2; 4-1-1 Ivy League) looked the more determined team in the opening minutes. The Big Green pushed the pace, frequently making scintillatingly quick incisive runs into the Cornell defensive third.
 
The Big Green connected for its first goal in the 16^th minute. After earning a corner kick opportunity, Stefan Defregger whipped a high arcing cross from the right corner flag. The delivery landed precisely to the head of a wide open Wyatt Omsberg who was off the far post. He nodded back across the grain inside the right post for the 1-0 lead.
 
The Big Green nearly added to the lead several times throughout the first half, if it were not for the play of Zach Zagorski. The senior keeper made a litany of spectacular saves to hold the Big Red in the contest in the opening half, perhaps his best coming just two minutes later when he stoned Dartmouth striker Alex Adelabu on successive corner kicks. Zagorski would finish with a season-high seven saves in the contest.
 
Cornell regrouped at the intermission and pushed hard for the equalizer coming out of the break. The Big Red generated some of its best chances of the match in the first few minutes – including a great shot attempt from Devin Morgan with Sebastian Scales flashing across the face of net; however, Stefan Cleaveland hung with the play and stayed tight to the post to make the save.
 
Dartmouth capitalized on the Big Red's aggressiveness to extend the lead to 2-0 in the 53^rd minute. After the Big Green drew a foul just across the midfield stripe, Omsberg fed a ball Colin Heffron at the right corner of the box. He made a terrific move to cut to the center of the box and fend off two Big Red defenders, before launching a shot that banked in off the inside of the right post.
 
The Big Green added a third on a sparkling play in the 74^th minute. Nick Rooney feathered a deft cross to the far left post, hitting a streaking Adelabu who snuck in behind the Big Red defense. The cross hit him in stride and the team's goal leader had no trouble depositing the header in from two-yards out.
 
It was a tough way to conclude the day for one of the most accomplished and decorated senior classes in the 107 year history of the program.
 
Cornell will wrap up its season next Saturday when it travels to Columbia. Opening kick is scheduled for 4 p.m.