ITHACA, N.Y. -- For the second time in five games, the Cornell men's polo team dropped a 19-18 decision to Virginia at Oxley Equestrian Center. This time, the Big Red played from ahead nearly the entire game before the defending national champ Cavaliers pulled out the decision, dropping Cornell to 8-4 on the season.

Big Red starter Ignacio Masias was sidelined with illness, so Hakan Karabey stepped in to play with Nick Stieg and Nik Feldman, who was back for his first match of the semester after injury. Cornell started with two quick goals only to see the Cavaliers score four in a row. The Big Red answered back to set a pattern for the entire game. After one it was tied 7-7. The second chukker produced more of the same back and forth action, but Cornell would sneak out to a two-goal lead to go into the half leading 12-10. The Cavaliers bounced back to take the lead in the third at 14-13, but Cornell again answered to end the chukker ahead 15-14. After trading goals, the Cavaliers once again managed to pull even at 16-16 at the walk break. The Cavaliers  then pulled ahead by two at 19-77 with a minute to play. Cornell scored once more to get within one at 19-18, and there was a mad rush towards the Cornell goal at the end, but the home team came up short. Feldman had a team-high 10 goals, while Stieg had five, Karabey scored two and there was one penalty goal.