ITHACA, N.Y. – The Big Red field hockey team won its fourth consecutive game and improved to 5-1 on the season when it defeated Holy Cross, 2-1, this afternoon on Marsha Dodson Field. Cornell scored a pair of goals in span of 3:37 and then held off a late surge by the Crusaders to earn the victory.
 
Cornell carried the play throughout most of the game, but struggled to convert its chances until freshman Gabby DePetro scored in the 34th minute to put the home team up, 1-0. The play began with a penalty corner shot by Marisa Siergiej that was saved by Holy Cross goalie, Maya Langman, but the ball bounced to DePetro who one-timed it over the goalie for the score.
 
The Big Red came inches away from going up by two goals when Krysten Mayers tipped a blast from Katy Weeks and hit the goalpost just as time expired in the first half.  
 
Less than three minutes into the second half, Mayers got her revenge with a tremendous individual effort, carrying the ball through the Crusader defense in the middle of the circle and popping a shot over Langman to make it a 2-0 game at the 37:20 mark.
 
Holy Cross had a tremendous opportunity to get on the board in the 55th minute when the visitors were awarded a penalty stroke, but the ball was pushed wide. The Crusaders finally scored at the 63:06 mark when Haley Makuh converted a penalty corner with Kaitlyn Murray and Colby Lohrey earning the assist.
 
The visitors managed just one more shot in the final 6:54 of the contest but freshman goalie Kelly Johnson was up to the task, registering the final of her career-high five saves on the day to earn the victory.
 
Cornell held a 15-7 edge in shots and a 6-4 advantage in penalty corners, forcing Langman to make six saves, while Murray earned one defensive save to help her team. It is the fourth straight game that the Big Red has held its opponent to four or few penalty corners.
 
The Big Red hits the road next weekend for a pair of games at Columbia on Saturday, Sept. 27 at noon and at Monmouth on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 1 p.m.