Box Score (PDF)
 
HAMILTON, N.Y. --- Senior co-captain Emily Tripodi set a new school record for career assists and led Cornell with three points as the Big Red battled to a 9-8 win over local rival Colgate on Wednesday night at Beyer-Small '76 Field. The game was a back-and-forth affair with four lead changes before the Big Red scored three unanswered goals in the second half to earn the victory and improve to 4-0, its best start since 2013.
 
Sophomore Joey Coffy had the game's first chance, trying to bury a low shot that Colgate goalkeeper Asil Asfour kicked out of the net, but it was the Raiders (1-4) that got on the board first, with Emily Peebles putting away a high shot.
 
Coffy responded just 16 seconds later though, knotting the score at one with 24:42 to go in the half, taking a quick shot after receiving a feed from classmate Taylor Reed. Junior Kristy Gilbert's free-position shot with 23:45 to go gave the Big Red its first lead of the game. Another free-position goal, this time from senior Emily Tripodi, increased the lead to 3-1.
 
Gilbert nearly added another with just over 21 minutes to go, banking her attempt from the left side off the post behind Asfour.
 
Junior goalkeeper Renee Poullot made a key stop moments later when Colgate was awarded a free-position attempt and Kallan Murray received a pass on the left post. Poullott denied Murray's quick shot from in close.
 
Taylor Fischer's free-position shot found the back of the net, however, with 18:17 left in the half to cut the deficit back to one.
 
For Tripodi's record-breaking 92nd career assist, she fed senior Olivia Mattyasovszky from behind the net, and Mattyasovszky corralled the ball and fired past Asfour to put the Big Red up, 4-2. Tripodi took over the top spot from Courtney Farrell, who set the previous record of 91 in 2008.
 
Two Colgate goals in 1:32, the first from Natalie Washuta with 11:47 to go and the next from Kallan Murray with 10:15 left, evened the score at four. The Raiders then took a 5-4 lead with 2:58 to go in the half, when Charlotte Redican took a shot from the left side that went into the lower right corner.
 
Reed notched her sixth goal of the season on a free-position attempt with 28 seconds remaining in the first half to once again tie the game, but the Raiders answered with their own tally off a free-position attempt, with Emily Peebles sending a pass to Sarah Bowles, who tucked it away with three seconds left to give Colgate the 6-5 lead at the break.
 
The Raiders added to their lead quickly in the second half as Tyler Sherper slid a low shot in from the right side just 32 seconds in.
 
Junior Catherine Ellis looked to answer at the other end, bringing the ball around from behind the net, but her attempt rang off the crossbar. Ellis did find the back of the net with 22:35 left, however, reaching up and putting her shot over top of Asfour to bring Cornell back within one, 7-6.
 
The Raiders pushed their advantage back to two with 19:06 left. Peebles notched her second of the night on a pass from Cara Esposito.
 
Senior Maddie Kiep won the resulting draw control and handed off to Coffy, who streaked in and tried on goal, but her shot skidded just wide. Mattyasovszky had an opportunity moments later, taking a quick shot off a feed from Ellis. On the same possession, Coffy had an attempt ring off the post, marking the third time the Big Red had hit pipe on the night.
 
Mattyasovszky then broke through with 15:50 to go. Tripodi added to her assist total, bringing the ball out from behind the net to send a cross-zone feed to Mattyasovszky, who put her shot away inside the right post for her second goal of the night and fifth of the season.
 
Freshman Tomasina Leska scored a big goal for Cornell, her fifth of the season as well, bringing the score even at eight as she broke through pressure in close and got off a low shot with 8:13 to go. Sophomore Anna Baumeister then notched what turned out to be the game-winner 46 seconds later, getting the ball on the left side, squeezing through two defenders and putting away a high shot from the right side.
 
The Big Red played shut-down defense from there, as the Colgate offense held onto the ball for several minutes. Colgate's first shot of the possession was blocked, then one sailed wide, and finally Poullott made a big stop to hold off a final push to tie.
 
Cornell returns home to Schoellkopf Field at 3 p.m. on Saturday to face Ivy League foe Columbia.