ITHACA, N.Y. – Cornell women's lacrosse looked poised for a big early season non-conference win against national vote-getter Albany, but the Danes tallied three times to barely eek past the Big Red. The squad will look to rebound on Wednesday evening when it welcomes local rival Colgate to Schoellkopf Field.
Cornell Big Red (1-1, 0-0 Ivy League) vs. Colgate Raiders (2-1, 0-0 Patriot League)Wednesday, March 4, 2015 | 5:00 PM | Ithaca, N.Y. – Schoellkopf FieldLive Stats |
Live Video (ILDN) Game Notes (PDF)Cornell Big Red HeadlinesCornell women's lacrosse made its anticipated home debut last Saturday against a tough Albany squad that has been at the periphery of the national rankings throughout the early portion of this season. The Danes came in with the most prolific attack in NCAA Division I, averaging 23 goals per game. Cornell did an excellent job keeping the high powered visitors at bay in a fairly dominating first half. The Big Red did an excellent job of controlling the draws in the opening half, outpacing Albany 10-to-4 to maintain long stretches of possession in the attacking end.
Lindsay Toppe scored a hat trick, while Hefner added a pair to power the Big Red to an 8-5 advantage at the break. Albany struck back in the second half, scoring four straight out of the break to snatch the lead at 9-8. Cornell would answer with three consecutive tallies to reestablish the lead at 11-9, but it would not be enough as Albany would tally three times in a 2:11 span to jump ahead. The Danes would play keep away for the final minutes to narrowly send Cornell its first loss of the year.
Raider HeadlinesColgate dropped its season opener against Vermont 12-11 in overtime; however, the squad has been fairly dominant in winning its last two games. The Raiders blasted Siena 12-6 two Saturday's ago, while the squad thoroughly handled Columbia 14-3 in the team's first road game this past Sunday. Emily Peebles outscored the Lions single handedly with four goals on the afternoon, while Isabel Kreitler added a hat trick for the visitors. Colgate's scoring has been well distributed, as seven players have netted 3+ goals on the young season.
The Series Against Colgate...The Big Red has decidedly held the upper hand in the overall series with a 28-14-1 record. Cornell won the first meeting between the schools in 1974 by a 7-4 margin. The two program's have met 16 times since
Jenny Graap took the helm of the Big Red, with Cornell going 15-1 including 15 straight wins.
Last Season's Matchup...Cornell started fast out of the gates in last season's matchup against Colgate. The Big Red scored six times in the opening 15 minutes, ending the half on a three-goal run to take an 8-3 lead to the halftime break. The Big Red kept on scoring in the second, as the team's traded goals through the opening 15 minutes of the second stanza. Cornell capped the game with three straight goals to blow the final wide open in the 15-7 win.
Lindsay Toppe had a huge game finishing with a game-high eight points (4g-4a).
Emily Tripodi also had a massive game with seven points (3g-4a).
Toppe MarksLindsay Toppe has picked up right where she left off last season. Through two games, she leads the Big Red with 11 points, which includes a team-high eight goals. She currently is tied for second in the league in points, while she is tied for third in goals.
Controlling the DrawCornell has been excellent on the draw throughout the early portion of this season. The Big Red has used its combination of speed and physicality to do an excellent job of gaining possession during the 50/50 loose ball situations. The team has used the draw to dominate possession, especially early in games, which has helped Cornell jump out to early leads in the first half of games.
All-Ivy ReturnersAlthough the Big Red will be without the services of Honorable Mention All-Ivy selection
Rachel Moody due to graduation, the squad still returns three players who were selected to All-Ivy teams a season ago. Senior
Lindsay Toppe was the team's lone First Team selection after she finished in a three-way tie for first in points (58) and second in goals (47). Fellow seniors
Sarah Hefner and
Claire MacManus each earned Second Team All-Ivy recognition after posting fine seasons in 2014. Hefner finished in a tie for second in the league with 68 draw controls, while MacManus was lauded for her excellent one-on-one defensive coverage. With the three returners, the Big Red boast and All-Ivy selection in all three zones with one each in the attacking zone, midfield, and defensive zone.
Toppe of the LeagueLindsay Toppe was named the 2014 Ivy League Attacker of the Year after equalling her career-highs for points (58), goals (47), and assists (11). She has been absolute force for the Big Red and is already one of the greatest scorers in program history. She was a Preseason Honorable Mention All-American as selected by InsideLacrosse.
Fine FeedsJunior attacker
Emily Tripodi has already established herself as one of the best creators in the history of the program. Her vision and lacrosse instincts are off-the-charts, allowing her to quickly diagnose defensive systems and how to best exploit them. The Big Red offense often runs through her stick, as she already ranks fourth in program history with 63 assists for her career. She began the 2015 campaign with an impressive showing in the opener. She led all players with four assists, while she also netted one goal. In the process she passed Jaimee Reynolds (1999-2002) for fourth on the all-time list.
Rookie ContributionsHead coach
Jenny Graap hinted that several first year players would make an early impact for the Big Red. We have most certainly seen that prediction come true as
Taylor Reed,
Ida Farinholt and
Joey Coffy have all seen significant playing time through the first two contests. Both Reed and Farinholt have scored goals in each of the first two games, while Coffy scored her first collegiate marker this past weekend against Albany.
Between the PipesThe Big Red will be in good shape from an experience standpoint in net this season. The squad returns both of its goal keepers from last season in senior
Carly Gniewek and sophomore
Renee Poullott. Both players saw action in the first game. Although senior
Carly Gniewek got the start in Saturday's opener against Temple, she relinquished the net after 14-minutes of action. Poullott performed well in relief, making five stops on the day, while allowing just four goals in 38+ minutes of action. Experience wise, Cornell boasts plenty with either keeper in the crease.
Dynamic DicksonSophomore
Amie Dickson has really flourished in the first two games of the fledgling 2015 campaign. She already equaled last season's total point output of 10, thanks to her second consecutive five point performance against Albany. She now has six goals and four assists through two games, while she also has made significant contributions throughout the stat sheet. She leads the Big Red with four ground balls.
Strong on the DrawThe Big Red will return its top draw control option in senior
Sarah Hefner in 2015. She was fantastic in that regard last season, breaking the single-season team record with 68 to finish in a tie for second in the conference. She currently ranks second all-time in program history with 127 for her career after her team-high four draw controls against the Owls. Overall, Cornell went 19-for-27 on the draw.
Amie Dickson has been a pleasant surprise for the Big Red, controlling four draws again on Saturday against Albany. She is tied with Hefner and Madeleine Gramingna of Yale for sixth in the conference.
Milestone VictoryCornell reached a milestone victory when it bested Temple 17-8 in the opener. The win was number 300 for the program.
O' Captain My CaptainsThe Big Red will field two captains in 2015.
Lindsay Toppe will serve as a captain for the second consecutive season, while junior defender
Brittany Marriott will hold the honor for the first time this season.
Up NextCornell will hit the road to kick start Ivy League play this weekend for matchup with Yale. Opening draw with the Bulldogs is scheduled for 11 a.m.
