Box Score (PDF)

ITHACA, N.Y. --- Senior Olivia Mattyasovszky scored a career-high five goals to lead Cornell women's lacrosse as the Big Red topped Columbia, 14-7, on Saturday afternoon at Schoellkopf Field. The victory improves Cornell to 5-0, its best start since 2013, and 20-0 all-time against the Lions.
 
Senior Jessica Schwab recorded her first career multi-goal and multi-point game, notching three goals and an assist. Classmate Emily Tripodi continued to add to her school-record assist total, posting three helpers. The Big Red's 14 goals and nine assists were the most on the season in both categories.
 
Sophomore Taylor Reed opened the scoring for the Big Red after receiving a pass from classmate Anna Baumeister at the top of the fan. Reed turned and put away her shot into the lower left. Just 23 seconds later, Mattyasovszky notched her first of the afternoon after junior Catherine Ellis sent a pass over the top of the cage to Mattyasovszky in front.
 
Sara Ruzzi had a chance to get Columbia on the board when she was awarded a free position try with over 17 minutes remaining in the first half, but junior goaltender Renee Poullott made a big stop.
 
With 15:24 left in the stanza, Reed caught a pass near the restraining line, beat her defender and fed Schwab on the left side for Schwab's first of the day and second career goal. Less than two minutes later, Tripodi was under pressure outside the fan but got a pass around the defender to Ellis in front, and Ellis snuck her shot inside the left pipe. Junior Kristy Gilbert tacked on a free position goal to put the Big Red ahead 5-0.
 
Mattyasovszky then scored three times in 3:35 to push the lead to 8-0. Mattyasovszky and Tripodi teamed up on the first two --- on the first, Tripodi sent the ball out from behind the net to Mattyasovszky in close, and on the second, Tripodi caught a pass from Reed and sent a quick feed to Mattyasovszky, who sent in a high blast. Then, with 6:04 to go in the half, Reed streaked down the right wing sent a cross-zone pass to Mattyasovszky for her fourth of the day.
 
Victoria Kalamaras broke Cornell's shutout with 2:38 left, giving the Big Red an 8-1 advantage at halftime.
 
The sides traded a pair of free position goals to open the second half. Senior Shelby McNeilly put up her first goal of the season 2:48 into the half, before Lindsey Ewersten added one for the Lions. Schwab tacked on her second of the day and Ruzzi put in another for Columbia for a 10-3 Cornell lead.
 
On a restart after a foul from past the restraining line, Mattyasovszky connected with Schwab, who raced in past two defenders for her third of the day.
 
Jessie Amrbose then pulled one back for Columbia to cut the lead to 11-4.
 
Schwab added her first career assist with 15:07 to go, coming out from behind the net to feed Mattyasovszky for her fifth.
 
Up by eight, the Big Red then began to let up on the gas. Kalamaras, Ewersten and Taylor Quinn each scored for the Lions to get within five.
 
Freshman Hannah O'Reilly then notched her first career-point, assisting on junior Kailey O'Hagan's first goal of the season, before O'Reilly tacked on her first career-goal 2:55 later to give Cornell the 14-7 victory.
 
The Big Red had the advantage in draw controls, 15-8, led by sophomore Joey Coffy with a career-high four. Junior Renee Poullott finished with 10 saves.
 
Cornell has 11 days off before its next game when it welcomes California to Schoellkopf Field at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23.