Box Score (PDF)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In its final game of the D.C-area Capitol Cup, the men's soccer team fell to the No. 20 American University Eagles on Sunday afternoon, 5-2.

American (3-1-2) scored four goals in the first half and two within the first 20 minutes, but Cornell (0-3-1) was able to pull one back in the 22nd minute when freshman Brady Dickens flicked in a header from junior Tommy Griffin. The play originated in the midfield with freshman George Pedlow when he changed direction and found sophomore Ryan Watters on the right wing. Watters lofted a cross into the box that Griffin headed to a running Dickens for the finish.

Despite struggling to sustain offensive pressure in the first half, Cornell fired five shots at the goal with three going on net.

Junior Jonathan Cullom had a strong start for the Big Red, and timed runs into the box to create a couple of scoring chances. First he found open space in the box but one-timed a feed from Watters over the crossbar. Minutes later, the junior was able to time his jump and head a long free kick just wide of the post.

Junior goalkeeper Mitchell Meyer made two saves in the first half before ceding the net to freshman Ryan Shellow for his Big Red debut. Shellow made three saves in the second half.

The defensive unit rebounded nicely from a 56th minute American goal that made it 5-1 and worked to set the tone for the rest of the game. Junior defender Spencer Kopko had a sliding block in the 61st minute and Shellow made his first career save on the ensuing corner.

The defensive play sparked the Big Red going the other way and senior Madison Heck made it 5-2 in the 62nd. Watters picked up the ball just passed midfield and beat his man down the right wing and got all the way to the six before he fed Dickens in the middle who back-heeled it to Heck for the finish. Dickens finished with one goal and one assist.

Cornell kept digging away – and almost found a third goal in the 72nd when senior Cameron Taylor headed a cross over the bar – but was unable to find the net again. The Big Red finished the game with 10 shots, five of which were on goal while American had 12 shots and 10 on goal.

Cornell continues to navigate a tough non-league schedule, with two of the first four games coming against teams receiving votes in the national poll and three more such games to come. But while it has lost three straight games, the Big Red has put together solid performances, including a strong showing against No. 14 Connecticut.

Cornell will head to Binghamton University on Wednesday for a non-league matchup before returning home next weekend to defend their 2015 Inaria Cup title on Berman Field. The Big Red plays Saint Francis (Pa.) on Friday at 7 p.m. and then New Hampshire on Sunday at 1 p.m.