ITHACA, N.Y. – The Big Red field hockey team took an early lead, but couldn't hold on as Albany scored the final two goals of the contest to steal a 2-1 victory this afternoon on Marsha Dodson Field. The teams seemed destined to head to overtime until Paula Heuser, the reigning America East Midfielder of the Year, set up the game-winning goal with just over three minutes to play.
"It was a very evenly matched game with not much to choose between the two teams," said head coach
Donna Hornibrook. "Obviously we're disappointed with the results but we're really happy with the effort against a really good Albany team."
Cornell (1-1) held the slim advantage in both shots (13-12) and penalty corners (9-7) against the unanimous preseason America East favorite in what was an evenly matched contest. Albany keeper, Maxi Primus, made six saves, while Big Red freshman
Kelly Johnson stopped five. Both teams also received a defensive save by a field player with both the Great Danes' Jaclyn Hibbs and Cornell's
Sam McILwrick helping their goalies.
The Big Red broke into the scoring column in just the sixth minutes of action as junior
Marisa Siergiej scored off a penalty corner, with the assists going to
Taylor Standiford and
Ann DiPastina.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Heuser pulled the Great Danes even with a goal in the 16th minute of play off a set play from a penalty corner. Heuser received the ball from the stick-stopper and pushed it to Pahila Arnold, who sent the ball back to Heuser, who scored to knot the game at 1-1.
With time winding down in the contest, Heuser used a great individual effort to drive down the right sideline and managed to send the ball back to the center-top of the circle to Fiori Van Rijswijk, who blasted it into the far post.
Cornell had two great opportunities to send the game into overtime, as an Albany yellow card forced the visitors to play a man-down and the Big Red earned two penalty corners with less than two minutes to play, but Primus was up to the task, registering a pair of saves.
The Big Red is back in action next weekend for a pair of games, travelling to Lehigh on Friday, Sept. 12 before taking on No. 18 Delaware on Sunday, Sept. 14.
